The Bear Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Bear in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Bear
The Insider’s Guide
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among note-taking apps, read from Bear’s own pages.
Made by Shiny Frog · checked Oct 10, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Bear’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Bear’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 10, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 50 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade
Bear is a Markdown note-taking app for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Notes combine text, photos, tables, sketches and to-do lists, and are organized with tags and wiki-style links instead of folders. The app is free to use without sync; a Bear Pro subscription adds iCloud sync between devices, note encryption, more export formats and search inside images and PDFs.
To get you started, here are 10 things to know about Bear, taken from its own pages and our grades.
There are no folders to plan out, only tags you type as you write, and there are migration guides for Evernote, Apple Notes and Obsidian.
- 1
Best for writing in Markdown on Mac, iPhone and iPad
Bear is a Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad that sorts notes with tags and links instead of folders.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
- 3
There is a free plan
The free version covers writing and organizing notes with 3 themes. iCloud sync, note encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG need Bear Pro.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Markdown editor
Notes mix text, photos, tables and to-do lists in one place, with sketches inserted inline next to text and attachments.
- 6
Tags and nested tags
Notes are organized with tags, including nested tags, and more than 250 icons help individual tags stand out.
- 7
Wiki links and backlinks
Notes link to each other with wiki links, and an info panel shows each note's backlinks and table of contents.
- 8
Refunds: no set window
Bear Pro is sold only through Apple's App Store, and Shiny Frog says plainly that once you have been charged it can neither change nor refund the payment: that is Apple's department. You cancel in the App Store, which Bear opens for you from its preferences, and the 7-day trial costs nothing if you get out in time.
- 9
A 2.6 GPA, above 50 of 147
That is against the other note-taking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 10
Keep it
The plain part of Bear you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Bear at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial on both the monthly and yearly Bear Pro subscriptions.
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS, Browser extension
- Made by
- Shiny Frog
- Category
- Note-Taking Apps
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 6,870 ratings
The report card
Best for writing in Markdown on Mac, iPhone and iPad
Bear is a Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad that sorts notes with tags and links instead of folders. Pro is $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. Sync between devices is Pro only, so free leaves your notes on one device, encryption, OCR search and export to PDF or DOCX are Pro too, and there is no Windows, Android or web version.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Bear Pro is $2.99 a month, or $29.99 a year, which sits in the cheapest quarter of this category against a $6 middle. One subscription covers every device on your Apple ID, and students and academics can ask for 30% off the first year. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Free covers writing and organising: tags, links, tables, sketches, 3 themes. The wall is sync. Without Pro your notes stay on one device, and encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML or DOCX are Pro as well. The trial is 7 days. |
| Features | B | A Markdown editor mixing text, photos, tables, to-dos and sketches, with nested tags, wiki links and backlinks, a Web Clipper for Safari, Chrome and Firefox, and export in nine formats. Pro adds encryption and search inside photos and PDFs. Nothing in the writing job is missing. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.68 from about 6,900 App Store ratings, just short of the 4.7 an A needs. There are no folders to plan out, only tags you type as you write, and there are migration guides for Evernote, Apple Notes and Obsidian. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | One family of devices: Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with browser clippers on top. No Windows, no Android, no web version, and the only integration on record is Claude. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Bear is for
- Fits if you write in Markdown on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Works for people who'd rather sort notes with tags than folders
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows, Android or a browser, as Bear is for Apple devices only
- Tight if you're staying free and own more than one device, because sync needs Pro
- Not for you if you need to lock notes or export to PDF, HTML or DOCX without paying, since those are Pro
- Watch out: the Pro trial is 7 days, billing runs through the App Store, and prices vary by country
- Watch out: the only integration on record is Claude, and the student discount covers the first year before full price returns
Good to know
Good for
- Writers who want a focused Markdown editor on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- People who prefer organizing notes with tags rather than folders
- Apple users who want notes synced through their own iCloud account
Worth knowing
- Bear is offered only for Apple devices: Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Syncing notes between devices requires a Bear Pro subscription.
- Note encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG are Pro features.
- Subscriptions are billed through Apple's App Store, and prices vary by country.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.50
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Bear has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per year.
Without Pro your notes stay on one device, and encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML or DOCX are Pro as well.
Free
$0
Markdown notes with tags, links, tables and sketches, and 3 themes. No sync between devices.
Bear Pro
$2.99
per month, or $29.99 per year
Adds iCloud sync across devices, note encryption and app lock, OCR search in PDFs and images, 28+ themes and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG.
The free plan
The free version covers writing and organizing notes with 3 themes. iCloud sync, note encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG need Bear Pro.
Trying it first
7-day free trial on both the monthly and yearly Bear Pro subscriptions.
Read from bear.app on Oct 10, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
About 15% lower price with the yearly subscription
Bear's site marks the $29.99 yearly subscription as 15% cheaper than paying $2.99 each month.
Stated on bear.appEducation
30% off the first year for students and academics
Students and people working in academia can ask support for a code giving 30% off the first year of the Bear Pro yearly subscription. It renews at the regular price.
Stated on bear.app
How its prices have moved
- Jul 19, 2026Free trial: 14-day free trial → 7-day free trialThe archived copy of 19 July 2026 says both Bear Pro subscriptions include a 7-day free trial; the copy before it, of 6 June 2026, says 14 days. The trial was shortened between the two.
- Apr 21, 2024Bear Pro: $3.49 per month, or $29.99 per year → $2.99 per month, or $29.99 per yearThe archived copy of 21 April 2024 prices the monthly Bear Pro subscription at $2.99; the copy before it, of 7 December 2023, shows $3.49. The yearly price stayed at $29.99.
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Monthly Pro subscription”, against $2.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺29,99 | $0.61 | 80% less |
| India | ₹ 99 | $1.02 | 66% less |
| Australia | $2.99 | $2.09 | 30% less |
| Indonesia | Rp 49ribu | $2.74 | 8% less |
| Germany | 2,99 € | $3.35 | 12% more |
| South Africa | R59.99 | $3.63 | 21% more |
| Mexico | $69.00 | $3.79 | 27% more |
| United Kingdom | £2.99 | $3.95 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: macOS, iOS and Browser extension
Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad with tags and links. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: notes, Markdown, linked notes, web clipper.
Pro adds encryption and search inside photos and PDFs.
- Markdown editor
- Notes mix text, photos, tables and to-do lists in one place, with sketches inserted inline next to text and attachments.
- Tags and nested tags
- Notes are organized with tags, including nested tags, and more than 250 icons help individual tags stand out.
- Wiki links and backlinks
- Notes link to each other with wiki links, and an info panel shows each note's backlinks and table of contents.
- Web Clipper
- Extensions for Safari, Chrome and Firefox save a full page or a highlighted selection as a note, with the clipping done on your device.
- Sync, encryption and OCR search (Pro)
- Bear Pro syncs notes through iCloud, encrypts individual notes, locks the app and searches for text inside photos and PDFs.
- Export and import
- Exports to TXT, Markdown, TextBundle, RTF, PDF, JPG, HTML, DOCX and ePub, with migration guides for Evernote, Apple Notes and Obsidian.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
- Browser extension
What it works with
- Claude
Bear is made by Shiny Frog.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
50/147
Other note-taking apps it is graded above
Bear's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 50 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
It stands best on features (B, above 100 of 147) and worst on free plan and trial (C, above 7).
Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 16 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 8 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 148 note-taking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Bear’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 48 of 147
- CFree plan and trialAbove 7 of 147
- BFeaturesAbove 100 of 147
- BEase of useAbove 47 of 147
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 31 of 147
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 103 note-taking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Bear is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Bear you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper. What surrounds it you could not. The 2 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
It costs $29.99 a year.
What you could make
- Notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Bear’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Bear’s own terms and help pages.
Refunds and cancelling
Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026
Bear Pro is sold only through Apple's App Store, and Shiny Frog says plainly that once you have been charged it can neither change nor refund the payment: that is Apple's department. You cancel in the App Store, which Bear opens for you from its preferences, and the 7-day trial costs nothing if you get out in time. No refund of its own, a clean way out, so a C, which is where every App-Store-only app lands.
- Refund window
- No set window
- How you cancel
- In the app store
- Getting your money back
Bear's FAQ says that once a Bear Pro subscription has been charged there is no way to change or refund it from Bear, because all transactions are handled by Apple, and that refund requests for in-app purchases should go to App Store customer support. It adds that you can contact Apple customer service for anything further. No window is stated.
Stated on bear.app- How to cancel Bear
Bear Pro is bought and cancelled through the App Store or Mac App Store. The FAQ says you can check and cancel active subscriptions at any time with the Manage Subscription button in the Bear Pro preferences pane, which opens the App Store page for it. It also says that cancelling during the trial period means the fee is not charged.
Stated on bear.app- What you keep afterwards
Bear's pages do not spell out what happens when a Pro subscription lapses, beyond saying that the Valid until date in the preferences pane always shows the last day of the subscription. The features it lists as Pro-only are iCloud sync, note encryption, OCR search, the extra themes and icons and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG. A separate article says anyone can back up every note into one .bear2bk file.
Stated on bear.app- Renewals
Bear says all subscriptions renew automatically and that the App Store emails a notice a few weeks before renewal. Apple renews the subscription during the 24 hours before it expires, so the FAQ tells you to watch the Valid until date. It says nothing about getting money back after a renewal you did not want.
Stated on bear.app
In your favour
- Both the monthly and the yearly Bear Pro plans come with a 7-day free trial.
- Cancel during the trial and Bear says the fee is never charged.
- The App Store emails you a notice a few weeks before the subscription renews.
- Bear puts a Manage Subscription button in its own preferences, so you are one tap from the App Store page.
Watch out for
- Shiny Frog cannot refund you at all: every payment is Apple's, and so is the decision.
- No refund window is stated anywhere on Bear's pages.
- One subscription covers your devices, so check which Apple Account was charged before you go looking.
- Nothing on Bear's site sets out what you keep or lose once Pro lapses.
Customer support
Ordinary · checked Oct 18, 2026
A small team with a tidy help library, a message widget on every support page, an email address if your adblocker eats it, and a busy community forum. Nothing is promised, though: no hours, no reply time, and no phone or live chat. That is the ordinary deal for a three-dollar-a-month app, and a C.
Ways to get help
Email
The same contact page gives an email address to write to if the message icon does not appear, which it says can happen when a browser adblocker is on.
Stated on bear.appContact form or ticket
The contact page says to click the message icon at the bottom of any support page to write to the team, and to include your device and other details. It does not say who answers or when.
Stated on bear.appHelp centre
Bear's support library holds dozens of free articles on features, syncing, importing from other apps, backups, Bear Pro and troubleshooting, open to anyone.
Stated on bear.appCommunity or forum
The Bear Community forum is public and used for feature discussion, shortcuts, feedback and help. Threads carried posts dated the day this was read.
Stated on community.bear.app
Not listed on Bear’s pages: live chat, phone.
- When people answer
Its pages do not say.
- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
Its pages do not say.
In your favour
- Free users can write in too: nothing on the contact page limits it to Bear Pro.
- The help library is detailed and covers backups, imports and the Pro subscription itself.
- The community forum is public and clearly active, so answers are often already there.
Watch out for
- No hours and no reply time are stated anywhere on the site.
- There is no phone line and no live chat, only the message widget and email.
- Anything to do with the charge itself goes to Apple, not to Bear.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Bear's FAQ on the features and price of Bear Pro, which covers subscribing, renewal, cancellation and refunds, its article on backing up and restoring notes, its support library index, its contact page and the Bear Community forum. Nobody here cancelled a plan, asked for a refund or contacted its support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Obsidian, Craft, Evernote, Notion and Reflect
The 5 tools Bear is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.6GPA
Obsidian
Free plan · from $4/mo
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device.
- Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Bear also covers web clipper.
- 3.0GPA
Craft
Free plan · from $96/yr
Notes and documents app with tasks, daily notes and whiteboards.
- Only Craft lists a web app.
- Only Craft lists Windows and Android apps.
- Bear also covers Markdown, linked notes and web clipper.
- 2.6GPA
Evernote
Free plan · from $99/yr
Note-taking app with web clipping, tasks, calendar and AI search.
- Only Evernote lists a web app.
- Only Evernote lists Windows and Android apps.
- Bear also covers Markdown and linked notes.
- 3.2GPA
Notion
Free plan · from $10/mo
Workspace for docs, wikis, databases and projects with built-in AI.
- Only Notion lists a web app.
- Only Notion lists Windows and Android apps.
- Bear also covers Markdown, linked notes and web clipper.
- 2.2GPA
Reflect
Free plan · from $9.99/mo
Open-source daily notes app with backlinks and local Markdown.
- Reflect is open source, according to its own site.
- Bear also covers web clipper.
- Reflect also covers daily notes.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
20
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Bear free?
Bear has a free plan. The free version covers writing and organizing notes with 3 themes. iCloud sync, note encryption, OCR search and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG need Bear Pro.
How much does Bear cost?
Bear lists 2 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Bear work on?
Bear is available on macOS and iOS. It also has a browser extension.
Does Bear offer any discounts?
Bear publicly lists the following: About 15% lower price with the yearly subscription; 30% off the first year for students and academics.
How is Bear rated?
Bear's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6,870 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Bear have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 10, 2026. Bear is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does Bear have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 10, 2026. Bear is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is Bear open source?
Bear is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 10, 2026.
What does Bear integrate with?
Bear's listing names Claude. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Bear have a student discount?
30% off the first year for students and academics. Students and people working in academia can ask support for a code giving 30% off the first year of the Bear Pro yearly subscription.
Does Bear have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial on both the monthly and yearly Bear Pro subscriptions.
Who makes Bear?
Bear is made by Shiny Frog.
What are the alternatives to Bear?
The closest alternatives to Bear in our directory are Obsidian, Craft, Evernote, Notion and Reflect.
Does Bear give refunds?
Bear's FAQ says that once a Bear Pro subscription has been charged there is no way to change or refund it from Bear, because all transactions are handled by Apple, and that refund requests for in-app purchases should go to App Store customer support.
How do I cancel Bear?
Bear Pro is bought and cancelled through the App Store or Mac App Store.
What happens to my data if I cancel Bear?
Bear's pages do not spell out what happens when a Pro subscription lapses, beyond saying that the Valid until date in the preferences pane always shows the last day of the subscription.
How do I contact Bear support?
Bear's pages list these ways to get help: email, contact form or ticket, help centre and community or forum.
How does Bear compare with other note-taking apps?
Bear's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 50 of the 147 other note-taking apps we grade, and level with 21.
Is Bear good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Bear B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.50 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $5.83 for the category: 16 of the 66 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Bear?
The plain part of Bear you could make: notes, Markdown, linked notes and web clipper.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Bear’s own pages on Oct 10, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Bear's own pages on 4 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-06-01.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Shiny Frog. Prices change, so check bear.app before you buy.
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Bear, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/bear
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Bear: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 10, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/bear
Know someone choosing between note-taking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/bear/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded note-taking apps after Bear, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Note-Taking Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 148 note-taking apps we grade, compared
- Microsoft OneNote Insider's GuideMicrosoft's free digital notebook for typed, inked and audio notes3.8 GPA
- Goodnotes Insider's GuideHandwritten notes, PDF markup and whiteboards with an AI assistant3.6 GPA
- Joplin Insider's GuideOpen source Markdown notes with sync through a service you choose3.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Bear’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Bear is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Shiny Frog. Prices and plans change: check bear.app before you buy.