Bear alternatives · Note-Taking
Alternatives to Bear with a one-time purchase
The Bear listing shows no one-time purchase. 46 of the 146 other note-taking apps in this directory can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Bear has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year. 31 of them are free or have a free plan.
46 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 9, 2026 · Where the facts come from
The 12 closest to Bear
- Free plan · from $4.99 one-time
FSNotes
Open-source Markdown notes app for Mac and iPhone
- FSNotes starts at $4.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $8.99 one-time for Mac. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- FSNotes is open source, according to its own site.
- FSNotes can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
MiaoYan
Native Mac Markdown notes app with a split editor and preview
- MiaoYan starts at $14.99 one-time purchase (App Store edition). Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- MiaoYan is open source, according to its own site.
- MiaoYan can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $1.99/mo
UpNote
Cross-platform notes app with a lifetime purchase option
- UpNote starts at $1.99 per month, or $39.99 once for lifetime (Premium). Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only UpNote lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- UpNote can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- UpNote also covers templates.
- Free trial · from $99 one-time
DEVONthink
Document and information manager for Mac, iPhone and iPad
- DEVONthink starts at $99 one-time license, with 2 Mac seats and 1 year of updates. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. DEVONthink does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only DEVONthink lists a web app.
- DEVONthink can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free trial · from $2.99
Keep It
Notebook and document organizer for Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Keep It starts at $2.99 in-app subscription on the Mac App Store (billing period not labelled). Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. Keep It does not, though it has a free trial.
- Keep It can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Keep It also covers templates and bookmarks.
- Free trial · from $69.99 one-time
EagleFiler
Document organizer and mail archiver for Mac
- EagleFiler starts at $69.99 one-time purchase. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. EagleFiler does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bear lists an iOS app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- Free trial · from $19.99 one-time
The Archive
Plain-text note-taking app for Mac built around Zettelkasten
- The Archive starts at $19.99 one-time purchase. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. The Archive does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Bear lists an iOS app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- Free trial · from $17.99 one-time
Notebooks
Writing, documents and tasks organized in nested books
- Notebooks starts at $17.99 one-time for iPhone and iPad; $43.99 one-time for Mac. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. Notebooks does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Notebooks lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- Free plan · from $79 one-time
Octarine
Local Markdown notes app with daily notes, views and optional AI
- Octarine starts at $79 one-time purchase. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only Octarine lists Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Bear lists an iOS app.
- Octarine can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free plan · from $1.99/mo
GitJournal
Mobile Markdown notes app that syncs through any Git repository
- GitJournal starts at $1.99 per month in installments, or $31.99 one-time (US App Store minimums). Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only GitJournal lists an Android app.
- Only Bear lists a macOS app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- Free plan · from $29 one-time
NotePlus
Native Markdown notes app with kanban boards and AI chat
- NotePlus starts at $29 one-time purchase (Basic license, 1 computer). Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Only NotePlus lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists a browser extension.
- NotePlus can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Free trial · from $99 one-time
MyInfo
Offline note-taking and personal information manager for Windows
- MyInfo starts at $99 one-time purchase, plus tax. Bear starts at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- Bear has a free plan. MyInfo does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only MyInfo lists a Windows app.
- Only Bear lists macOS and iOS apps.
34 more that can be bought with a one-time purchase
- Understory
- MarginNote
- Tinderbox
- Curio
- Tot
- SideNotes
- Notes Writer
- SnipNotes
- Gravity
- Noticky
- Bebop
- Goodnotes
- Notability
- Noteshelf
- MyScript Notes
- CollaNote
- LiquidText
- OmniOutliner
- Bike Outliner
- Antinote
- Noteful
- Notewise
- Penbook
- ZoomNotes
- Noteey
- Notezilla
- AllMyNotes Organizer
- RightNote
- NoteCase Pro
- Braintoss
- Quick Note
- Notchkin
- Inkflow
- Stickier
Common questions
Is there an alternative to Bear that you buy once?
Yes. FSNotes, MiaoYan, UpNote, DEVONthink, Keep It, EagleFiler, The Archive, Notebooks and 38 more can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Can you buy Bear once instead of subscribing?
The Bear listing shows no one-time purchase. The listing was checked on Oct 4, 2026 against the pages it cites.
Which of these note-taking apps are free?
FSNotes, MiaoYan, UpNote, Octarine, GitJournal, NotePlus, Understory, Curio and 23 more are free or have a free plan.
When was this checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 4, 2026 to Oct 9, 2026. Vendors change prices and plans without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.
This page is built from the listings. A tool is here because its listing says so, and the order is how close each is to Bear: the alternatives its listing names first, then the tools that share the most features with it.