Bear
Shiny Frog Ltd.
Bear is a beautiful, flexible writing app for crafting notes, prose, code and lists. Use tags to organize, and sync across devices with Bear Pro.
User Sentiments
Top Likes
- Beautiful and minimalistic interface
- Easy to use and intuitive markdown support
- Flexible tag-based organization system
- Fast and reliable syncing across Apple devices (Pro)
- Excellent search capabilities including OCR in Pro version
Top Dislikes
- Available only on Apple devices
- Syncing and advanced features require a paid subscription (Pro)
- No web version
- Limited collaboration features
Popular Comments
App Store Review - dy choo
2016-11-17
This Apple Design Award-winning writing app doesn't bury us in toolbars and technical details. Linking notes is as easy as dropping a hashtag, and formatting your work is a total breeze. We especially love it on iPad.
App Store Review
Unknown
This app has become my everything. Bear manages to combine extreme power into something elegant and simple. It can basically be whatever you want it to be and gets the hell out of your way!
App Store Review
Unknown
Exceptional app. Clean, simple, yet sophisticated. I've tried so many notes apps but have stuck with Bear.
Reddit User - Michael Lahoda
Unknown
I switched to Bear from Agenda and it's one of 5 core apps for my “second brain”.
Reddit User - dragonpuncher8
Unknown
I've been using Bear for years now and it's still my favorite note-taking app. It's simple, elegant, and just works.
PCMag - Jill Duffy
2023-12-14
If you're a Mac, iPhone, and/or iPad user looking for a note-taking app that fits in perfectly within that ecosystem but with a little more power than what Apple offers, Bear might be just right for you.
Detailed Review
Bear is a note-taking application exclusively for Apple's ecosystem, known for its beautiful design, simplicity, and powerful features. It uses Markdown for formatting, allowing users to create structured notes with ease. Bear stands out with its flexible tag-based organization system, which replaces traditional folders, and enables users to link notes together using hashtags. While the basic version of Bear is free, a Pro subscription unlocks syncing across devices, advanced export options, themes, note encryption, and OCR search within images and PDFs.
Standout Features
- Markdown Support: Write in plain text Markdown, which is then rendered beautifully.
- Tag-based Organization: Organize notes using tags instead of folders for flexible categorization. Nested tags are also supported.
- Cross-Device Sync (Pro): Seamlessly sync notes between Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch using iCloud with a Pro subscription.
- Themes (Pro): Customize the app's appearance with a variety of beautiful themes available in the Pro version.
- Export Options (Pro): Export notes to various formats like PDF, HTML, DOCX, JPG, and more with Bear Pro.
- Web Clipper: Capture web pages and content directly into Bear using browser extensions for Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera.
- OCR Search (Pro): Search for text within images and PDFs attached to notes with a Pro subscription.
- Note Encryption (Pro): Encrypt individual notes for sensitive information in the Pro version.
Conclusion
Bear is an excellent note-taking app for users deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem who appreciate a blend of aesthetic appeal and functionality. Its intuitive Markdown support and tag-based organization make it a powerful tool for both simple and complex note-taking needs. The free version is functional for single-device use, but the Pro subscription is highly recommended to unlock the full potential of Bear, especially for users who require syncing and advanced features across their Apple devices. While its exclusivity to Apple devices and lack of a web version might be drawbacks for some, Bear remains a top choice for many Mac users seeking a refined and efficient note-taking experience.
