Write beautifully on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Beautiful Markdown note-taking app for Apple devices. No Trustpilot profile (niche app). App Store: 4.7/5. Apple-only - no Windows or Android. Known for elegant design but limited features. $30/year Pro or $50 lifetime after Bear 2.
Patterns extracted from real user feedback — not raw reviews.
Bear is only available natively on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. There are no plans for Windows or Android versions. Users with mixed-platform workflows are locked out. Bear Web (beta) offers limited browser access but isn't a full solution.
Bear uses tags for organization instead of folders or nested hierarchies. While some users love this, others find it complicated to manage reference libraries. The tag-based system creates app lock-in since exporting loses the folder hierarchy.
Users cannot collaborate on notes at all. There's no sharing, real-time editing, or team features. Even basic collaborative use cases like shared grocery lists are impossible. Solo-user only.
Unlike Obsidian or Roam, Bear lacks bidirectional linking and graph view for connecting notes. For users building a personal knowledge management system, Bear's simple tag-based organization is insufficient.
Bear Web is in beta and lacks key features like TagCons and encryption. It won't work with Apple's Advanced Data Protection enabled. It's designed to complement native apps, not replace them - not a solution for non-Apple users.
Bear lacks drawing support and voice recording capabilities. For users who want to sketch or dictate notes, these missing features are frustrating compared to Apple Notes or other alternatives.
Users report notes not syncing between devices, requiring app reinstalls. There's no visual indicator of 'syncing complete' leading to conflicts and confusing note merging. CloudKit-reliant apps are inherently less reliable with delays in syncing changes.
Bear lacks integrations with third-party services. While it works well as a standalone app, users wanting to connect Bear to their broader workflow (Zapier, calendar apps, project tools) have limited options.
Beautiful, elegant design
Bear's text editor is praised as exceptional for speed and beauty. Won Apple's App of the Year 2016 and Apple Design Award 2017. The minimalist design is focused and distraction-free.
Fast and lightweight performance
Bear is lightning-fast with instant note loading and searching. The app feels native and responsive. Even with large note libraries, performance remains excellent.
Excellent Markdown support
Bear makes great use of Markdown syntax with inline previews. Writing in Markdown feels natural with formatting appearing as you type. Top-notch implementation for Markdown lovers.
Powerful search and retrieval
Search is a standout feature. Users can find old notes or specific text quickly, even with large libraries. The search capability is fast and accurate.
Affordable subscription with legacy pricing
At $29.99/year for new users (or $14.99/year for existing subscribers), Bear Pro is more affordable than many alternatives. Core features are free. One subscription covers all Apple devices.
Data portability with Markdown files
Like Obsidian, users are comforted that if Bear ever goes under, they can easily export everything to Markdown and move on. Notes aren't locked in proprietary format.
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited notes
Limitations: No iCloud sync, No note encryption, Limited themes
Users: 1 user (all Apple devices)
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Apple devices only
Users: 1 user (all Apple devices)
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Apple devices only
Users: 1 user (all Apple devices)
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Apple devices only, Must not let subscription lapse
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited
Limitations: Requires student/educator verification
Writers and bloggers
Clean writing environment, excellent Markdown, beautiful typography. Writers love Bear's distraction-free interface.
Apple users wanting beautiful Markdown notes
Bear excels at elegant Markdown note-taking with fast performance. The design is gorgeous, sync works across Apple devices, and the price is reasonable. Ideal for writers on Apple.
Writers who value simplicity over features
Bear's minimalist approach is perfect for focused writing without distraction. If you don't need databases, collaboration, or complex organization, Bear's simplicity is a feature.
Students on Apple devices
Education discount available, lightweight for quick note capture, excellent search for finding old notes. Good for lecture notes and study materials if you don't need collaboration.
Engineering teams
Good Markdown support but Apple-only limits adoption. Small dev teams on Mac use it, but cross-platform teams cannot.
Cross-platform teams
Apple ecosystem only - no Windows, no Android, no web. Teams with mixed devices cannot use Bear.
Windows or Android users
Bear has no native apps for Windows or Android and no plans to create them. Bear Web is limited and in beta. Cross-platform users should choose Obsidian, Notion, or other alternatives.
Teams needing collaboration
Bear has zero collaboration features. You cannot share notes, edit together, or work in teams. For any collaborative note-taking, choose Notion, Google Docs, or Craft.
PKM enthusiasts wanting linked notes
Bear lacks bidirectional linking, graph view, and knowledge management features. For building a second brain with connected notes, Obsidian, Logseq, or Roam are far better.
Common buyer's remorse scenarios reported by users.
Users build extensive note libraries in Bear, then get a Windows work computer or Android phone. They realize their notes are inaccessible on non-Apple devices with no solution besides Bear Web (limited beta).
Users coming from Obsidian or Roam expect linked notes and graph view. They discover Bear's tag system is the only organization method, lacking the knowledge management features they wanted.
Existing subscribers at $14.99/year accidentally let their subscription lapse. When they re-subscribe, they're charged the new $29.99/year rate with no way to restore legacy pricing.
Scenarios where this product tends to fail users.
When users get a Windows work machine or Android phone, Bear becomes problematic. Notes are locked in the Apple ecosystem. Bear Web is limited and doesn't replace native apps.
Bear's tag-only organization doesn't support bidirectional linking or graph visualization. Users wanting to connect notes and see relationships must migrate to Obsidian or similar.
Bear has zero collaboration features. Any project requiring shared notes or team editing requires switching to Notion, Craft, or other collaborative tools.
Apple Notes
Users switch for the free price, native Apple integration, and included drawing/voice features. Less powerful but zero cost and no subscription needed.
iA Writer
Writers wanting focus switch to iA Writer. Gain: purer writing experience, unique font. Trade-off: fewer organization features.
Notion
Users needing more features switch to Notion. Gain: databases, collaboration, cross-platform. Trade-off: more complex, slower.
Craft
Apple users switch for more polished document creation and team features. Similar aesthetic quality with more capabilities, though higher price.
Obsidian
Users wanting cross-platform switch to Obsidian. Gain: works everywhere, more powerful, local files. Trade-off: steeper learning curve, less polished.
