Bear

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

4.6•35 reviews•

1.1K followers

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

4.6•35 reviews•

1.1K followers

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Note and writing apps

•

Writing assistants

Bear is a beautiful, powerfully simple Markdown note taking app to capture, write, and organize your life. Take notes, plan your day, journal thoughts, organize tables, create lists and tasks, sketch ideas, link notes together, write a book, and much more. Bear is used by writers, lawyers, chefs, CEOs, teachers, doctors, engineers, students, parents... you get the picture. Getting started couldn't be faster—no signup and no account. Just open a note and write naturally.

Have a question about Bear? Ask it here and get a real answer.

Bear Launches

Bear 2 Simple, powerful, private Markdown notes

Launched on July 12th, 2023

Bear Beautiful writing app for notes and prose

Launched on November 4th, 2016

Bear Bear is a beautiful writing app for crafting notes and prose

Launched on October 18th, 2016

View all Bear launches

Do you use Bear?

Forum Threads

p/obsidian

•

12mo ago

Is Obsidian really that much better vs Bear? Should I switch?

I'm a compulsive note-taker - first started taking notes in @Evernote circa 2011, and switched to @Bear

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4.6

Based on 35 reviews

Review Bear?

Bear earns praise for its beautiful, low-friction writing flow, fast startup, and thoughtful Markdown, with many longtime users calling it their daily notes hub. The latest update adds backlinks, tables, cleaner markup, and strong export—improving organization without bloat. Makers of

Listy

value it for simple to-dos, while makers of

OpenNotas

applaud usability but note the lack of true multi-platform support. Critical feedback centers on Bear 2’s WYSIWYG direction, limited cross-platform/web options, and hashtag clutter for those who prefer folders. Overall: delightful, polished, Apple-first.

+29

Summarized with AI

Pros

beautiful design (12)

simple interface (12)

markdown support (7)

apple ecosystem integration (4)

fast performance (4)

backlinks (3)

export options (2)

ios compatibility (2)

reasonable subscription cost (2)

Cons

limited cross-platform support (3)

no web version (3)

wysiwyg editor issues (2)

Pros

Cons

Reviews

All Reviews

Most Informative

•4 reviews

What's great

simple interface (12)markdown support (7)beautiful design (12)

I've been using bear for about 5 years now. I use it for everything. Before I discovered it, I had a hard time organizing the infinite number of notes I make every day. Sure, I could probably use the notes app that comes with MacOS but I always disliked the interface of that one. It felt clunky and keyboard-unfriendly. Then came Bear. I fell in love with markdown almost instantly. Now I can basically throw my mouse away and I couldn't be happier. I mean, I'm probably not the most demanding user but for what I do (writing) it's the best editor I've had in decades. Simple, yet powerful. (Okay, that sounds like something their marketing team would come up with on a bad day, but I mean it.) Oh, and I also highly appreciate the ability to copy my text in different formats (RTF, markdown, HTML...)

What needs improvement

Syncing across devices never worked fast enough for my taste. When I select all + copy, it copies the tag at the bottom of each document too. I dislike that. Other than that, no huge complaints.

vs Alternatives

Apple Notes

Bear has markdown. Apple's Notes app does not.

How smooth is Apple ecosystem integration, including Shortcuts?

Sometimes it works a bit too slowly on my phone. It works well on desktop.

Is the sketch tool accurate and useful for quick diagrams?

Don't know. Never used it.

Is the subscription price fair for long-term use?

More than fair. It's definitely not one of those subscriptions that I regret.

Ratings

Ease of use

Reliability

Value for money

Customization

Report

16 views1mo ago

•1 review

I installed the Bear app years ago when it was first released, and from the moment I started using it, I thought, "What a beautiful design!" Years later, not only does it still have a stunning interface, but it's also incredibly user-friendly. The integration with Markdown is incredibly practical, allowing me to focus solely on writing without searching for buttons or commands—just pure text. Now, in its new version, the integration with tables and additional control over images are more than welcome. I have faith that we'll see even more improvements in a shorter time.

What's great

simple interface (12)markdown support (7)beautiful design (12)

Report

13 views2yr ago

•3 reviews

New user and I absolutely love it! The aesthetic is on point, with multiple options for themes that truly enhance the visual experience. It's a simple and intuitive app that has all the necessary features for note-taking. Personally, I use it for my poetry writing and drafting before transferring it elsewhere. The ability to export to PDF, HTML, TXT, RFT and other formats is super convenient. Additionally, the lock feature and encryption not on outside but in the app provide added security, which initially caught my attention and prompted me to upgrade to the pro version. I firmly believe in supporting companies that have developed and continue to develop apps or services...and their brilliant brains. Great job, guys! You've definitely won me over. Oh, and did I mention I'm learning code and web design? This app will undoubtedly be a valuable resource for that too. Since the upgrade, the cleaner markup has made me even happier. It's a steal of a deal! edit sooo happy about the fonts toooooooo hehe

What's great

simple interface (12)encryption (1)export options (2)beautiful design (12)reasonable subscription cost (2)

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7 views2yr ago

•4 reviews

What's great

simple interface (12)markdown support (7)beautiful design (12)

What needs improvement

Syncing across devices never worked fast enough for my taste. When I select all + copy, it copies the tag at the bottom of each document too. I dislike that. Other than that, no huge complaints.

vs Alternatives

Apple Notes

Bear has markdown. Apple's Notes app does not.

How smooth is Apple ecosystem integration, including Shortcuts?

Sometimes it works a bit too slowly on my phone. It works well on desktop.

Is the sketch tool accurate and useful for quick diagrams?

Don't know. Never used it.

Is the subscription price fair for long-term use?

More than fair. It's definitely not one of those subscriptions that I regret.

Ratings

Ease of use

Reliability

Value for money

Customization

Report

16 views1mo ago

•1 review

What's great

simple interface (12)markdown support (7)beautiful design (12)

Report

13 views2yr ago

•3 reviews

What's great

simple interface (12)encryption (1)export options (2)beautiful design (12)reasonable subscription cost (2)

Report

7 views2yr ago

Bear

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

a beautiful, simple Markdown note-taking app

Have a question about Bear? Ask it here and get a real answer.

Bear Launches

Do you use Bear?

Forum Threads

Is Obsidian really that much better vs Bear? Should I switch?

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Have a question about Bear? Ask it here and get a real answer.

Bear Launches

Do you use Bear?

Forum Threads

Is Obsidian really that much better vs Bear? Should I switch?

What's great

What needs improvement

vs Alternatives

How smooth is Apple ecosystem integration, including Shortcuts?

Is the sketch tool accurate and useful for quick diagrams?

Is the subscription price fair for long-term use?

What's great

What's great

What's great

What needs improvement

vs Alternatives

How smooth is Apple ecosystem integration, including Shortcuts?

Is the sketch tool accurate and useful for quick diagrams?

Is the subscription price fair for long-term use?

What's great

What's great