Best Note Taking Apps · pricing · Updated June 2026
Bear pricing (2026)
Bear starts at $0/mo (Free), across 2 plans. Best for Writers and minimalists on Apple devices. Every figure links to Bear's own page and the date we captured it.
At a glance
- Entry price: $0/mo (Free)
- Free tier: Yes · 7-day trial
- Compliance: HIPAA — · SOC 2 — · GDPR —
- Best for: Writers and minimalists on Apple devices; Single-device or Apple-only note-takers; Users wanting affordable Markdown-first app; Privacy-minded users (iCloud encryption, no telemetry)
Bear plans & pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Billing | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | — | flat | Free tier offers Markdown editing, full tag system and the core writing experience on a single device. Cloud sync, encryption and premium features require Bear Pro. | bear.app |
| Pro | $2.99 | −16% | flat | $2.99/mo or $29.99/year (~$2.50/mo) for new customers, single subscription covers all Apple devices on the same Apple ID. Unlocks iCloud sync, note encryption and app lock, advanced export (PDF/HTML/DOCX/JPG), 20+ themes, app-icon choices, OCR search. 14-day free trial. | bear.app |
Last verified 2026-06-13. Prices read from the bear.app FAQ 'Features and price of Bear Pro' on 2026-06-13, which served $2.99/mo and $29.99/year with a 14-day free trial verbatim.
Capabilities
Integrations: iCloud Sync (Pro), Apple Pencil, Apple Advanced Data Protection.
Key features: Focused Markdown editor with rich text shortcuts; Nested tag system with 250+ tag icons; Sketch notes (Apple Pencil or finger); Document scanning; OCR search in PDFs and images (Pro); Individual note encryption and app lock (Pro); Rich media link/PDF previews; Section folding by heading; Export to TXT, Markdown, TextBundle, RTF, PDF, JPG, HTML, DOCX, ePub; 20+ themes (Pro); Apple Advanced Data Protection support.
Plan limits: Free: single device only (no iCloud sync); Free: 3 themes, 1 app icon; Free: no OCR search; Free: no note encryption or app lock; Free: no advanced export (PDF, HTML, DOCX, JPG); Pro: all Apple devices on same Apple ID; Billing handled by Apple (in-app purchase only).
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bear cost?
Bear starts at $0/mo (Free); it has 2 published plans. Verified 2026-06-13.
Is Bear cheaper billed annually?
Yes. Bear publishes a 16% discount for paying annually (on the Pro plan). Verified 2026-06-13.
Does Bear support HIPAA?
Bear HIPAA support: —. SOC 2: —. GDPR: —.
Does Bear have a free plan?
Bear free tier: Yes; 7-day free trial.
Bear vs alternatives
Compare all note taking apps → · Bear alternatives → · Open data · MCP