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Bear

by Shiny Frog Ltd. · Application · also known as Bear Notes, Bear 2

Markdown note-taking app for Mac, iPhone and iPad from Shiny Frog with nested tags, note links and iCloud sync, free with a Pro subscription

ProprietaryFreemiumPaidLocalCloud
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Link verified Nov 2, 2026

Overview

Bear is a Markdown-based note-taking application for macOS, iOS and iPadOS developed by Shiny Frog. It stores notes in a local database synchronised through iCloud, organises them with nested hashtags rather than folders, and supports wiki-style links between notes, backlinks, tables, code blocks, sketches, attachments and themes, with export to Markdown, PDF, HTML, DOCX and other formats. A focused editing interface and a callback URL scheme for automation make it popular with writers and developers on Apple platforms. The core app is free; a Bear Pro subscription unlocks sync across devices, themes and export options. Limits are platform scope (Apple only, no web or Windows client), the absence of a plugin system, iCloud as the only sync route, and a proprietary store that requires export to move notes elsewhere.

Capabilities

  • Markdown editing with live styling
  • Nested tags and note links with backlinks
  • Sketches, attachments and tables
  • Export to Markdown, PDF, HTML and DOCX
  • iCloud sync across Apple devices
  • URL scheme for automation

Typical workflows

  1. Draft articles in Markdown and export to HTML
  2. Organise research notes with hierarchical tags

Strengths

  • Fast, polished native apps
  • Clean Markdown export

Limitations

  • Apple platforms only
  • iCloud-only sync
  • No plugins or API beyond URL scheme

Prerequisites

  • Mac, iPhone or iPad; Bear Pro for sync

Who it is for

  • Writers and students on Apple devices
  • Developers wanting Markdown notes without configuration

Alternatives & comparison

Obsidian keeps notes as plain files with plugins and cross-platform apps; Bear trades that for a tightly designed Apple experience. Apple Notes is free and built in but lacks Markdown; Craft focuses on structured documents and sharing.

  • Apple Notes

    Apple's built-in notes app for Mac, iPhone, iPad and iCloud.com with folders, tags, attachments, handwriting, shared notes and on-device search

    ProprietaryFree
  • Craft

    Block-based document and notes app with native Apple, Windows and web clients, structured pages, collections and shareable published documents

    ProprietaryFreemium
  • Notion

    Hosted workspace combining block-based documents, relational databases, wikis and project views, with an API and built-in AI features

    ProprietaryFreemium
  • Obsidian

    Local-first Markdown note-taking app with bidirectional links, graph view and a large community plugin ecosystem; optional paid Sync and Publish

    ProprietaryFree
Compare Bear with its alternatives →

Sources & verification

Primary sources consulted for this record. Claims are tied to the fields each source supports; the automated link checker re-verifies every URL on a schedule.

  • Official documentation
    Bear FAQ

    https://bear.app/faq

    Supports: capabilities, pricing_model, data_formats

    checked Nov 1, 2026
  • Official site
    Bear

    https://bear.app/

    Supports: name, summary, vendor

    checked Nov 1, 2026
  • Policy page
    Bear privacy

    https://bear.app/privacy

    Supports: vendor

    checked Nov 1, 2026
Confidence
High
Reviewed
Nov 1, 2026
Links
Verified · Nov 2, 2026

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Logseq

Logseq · Personal knowledge management

Open-source, outliner-based knowledge base storing notes as local Markdown or Org-mode files with block references, queries and a graph view

AGPL-3.0-onlyOpen sourceFreeLocalNov 2, 2026