Bear

Markdown notes app for Apple devices with fast search and tag organisation

AI Office ProductivityFree planOverseasβ˜…β˜…β˜…β˜†β˜† 3.0

What is Bear?

Bear is a Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad, built around fast capture, a clean editor and tag-based organisation instead of folders. It syncs through iCloud, exports to several formats, and is widely chosen by writers for how pleasant the editor is to use. Bear has no built-in generative writing assistant: it is a conventional notes app, and any AI you bring to it comes from another tool. The free version is usable without sync, while cross-device sync and advanced export need the paid subscription.

Last updated: 2026-09-20. This site only provides an index; for exact features, pricing, and licensing, see the official website.

Key features

  • Markdown editor with live preview and inline formatting
  • Nested tags for organisation without a folder hierarchy
  • Full-text search including OCR over text inside images
  • iCloud sync across Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch
  • Export to PDF, DOCX, HTML, Markdown and image formats
  • Quick capture from other apps and a menu bar note window

Pros & cons

Strengths

  • Editor quality is the main draw and it holds up over years
  • Tag-based structure scales better than nested folders for notes
  • Sync is fast and reliable across Apple devices

Watch out for

  • No built-in AI writing or summarisation features
  • Apple platforms only, with no web or Windows client
  • Sync and advanced export require the paid subscription

Best for & use cases

personal notes, long-form writing, research snippets and markdown drafting

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FAQ

Does Bear include AI features?

No. It is a conventional Markdown notes app. If you want assistance inside the editor, you would run a separate assistant alongside it rather than expecting it from Bear itself.

Is there a free version?

Yes, a usable free tier exists, but cross-device sync and advanced export options belong to the subscription. For most people who write regularly, sync is the feature that makes the paid plan worthwhile.

Can I use it outside Apple devices?

Not really. Bear targets Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no web or Windows client, so it is a poor fit for mixed-platform teams even though individual notes export cleanly.