Bear is a lightweight, distraction-free note-taking app optimized for writers and iOS users, while Notion is a comprehensive all-in-one workspace combining notes, databases, wikis, and project management. Bear excels at writing quality, Notion excels at organizational flexibility and team collaboration.
Bear vs Notion — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Minimalist note-taking app for writers focused on speed and beautiful typography
All-in-one workspace platform combining notes, databases, wikis, and project management
Primary Use Case. Platform Availability. Collaboration Features. Database & Structure. Pricing Model. Learning Curve. Markdown Support
Choose Bear if you're a writer or student who values distraction-free writing, aesthetic design, and simplicity within the Apple ecosystem. Choose Notion if you need a centralized workspace for teams, complex project management, database organization, or cross-platform access at scale.
Bear: No automatic backlinks; manual tagging only | Notion: N/A
Bear: Full access on all platforms | Notion: N/A
Bear: Tags and folders only | Notion: N/A
Bear: iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only) | Notion: N/A
Bear: 2-4 hours for basic use | Notion: N/A
Bear: Limited (direct integrations) | Notion: 50+
Bear: 49% (annual: $20.99) | Notion: N/A
Bear: 4 formats (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text) | Notion: N/A
Bear: Yes - native AI assistant | Notion: N/A
Bear: 2 modes (limited customization) | Notion: N/A
Bear: Full offline with sync | Notion: Limited (requires sync after reconnect)
Bear: $29.99/year | Notion: $120/year (Plus plan)
Bear: ~50 official extensions | Notion: 200+ (primarily cosmetic and integration)
Bear: Proprietary (low portability) | Notion: N/A
Bear: 95% feature parity with desktop | Notion: N/A
Bear: ~10MB practical limit | Notion: N/A
Bear: $36/year (premium subscription) | Notion: N/A
Bear: Full offline support on iOS/macOS; sync when online | Notion: Full offline mode (desktop app)
Bear: 200+ with syntax highlighting | Notion: N/A
Bear: No native databases | Notion: Advanced relational databases with filtering and sorting
Bear: Not supported (external links only) | Notion: Full real-time collaboration with comments and permissions
Bear: Full offline access with automatic sync | Notion: Partial offline (web requires internet, mobile has limited offline mode)
Bear: Standard markdown (.md) format | Notion: Proprietary Notion format (limited standard export)
Bear: Unlimited (with free version) | Notion: Unlimited workspace content; 5GB file attachments
Bear: 5-10 minutes to productive use | Notion: 30-60 minutes to understand core features
Bear: Limited API access | Notion: Robust public API with extensive integration ecosystem
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Annual Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Bear: 3 platforms (Mac, iOS, iCloud Web) | Notion: N/A
Bear: No (public links only) | Notion: Unlimited
Bear: Yes (full native support) | Notion: N/A
Bear: 3 (Mac, iOS, iPadOS) | Notion: 6 platforms (Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux)
Bear: iOS/Mac only (subscription required) | Notion: N/A
Bear: ~5 million active users | Notion: N/A
Bear: $2.99/month | Notion: $10/month (Plus) or $20/month (Business)
Bear: No free tier (7-day trial only) | Notion: Yes - unlimited notes with basic features
Bear: 3 platforms (macOS, iOS, iCloud Web) | Notion: 6 platforms (Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Linux via web)
Bear: Unlimited notes (tested with 50,000+) | Notion: Unlimited blocks (tested with 1M+ blocks)
Bear: Not supported | Notion: Up to 100+ simultaneous editors per workspace
Bear: Limited - basic web clipper only | Notion: 80+ native integrations + Zapier support
Bear: Full native markdown with code syntax highlighting | Notion: Markdown support with limited native formatting
Bear: 0 - flat folder/tag structure only | Notion: 8 view types (table, gallery, kanban, calendar, timeline, list, board, scatter)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Notion's cloud servers
Bear: N/A | Notion: Free / $8-15 per user
Bear: N/A | Notion: Customizable approach
Bear: N/A | Notion: Real-time co-editing, permissions, comments, activity tracking
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full (relational databases, rollups, formulas)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Cloud-hosted (Notion controls servers)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes (built-in AI assistant)
Bear: N/A | Notion: High availability (no published SLA)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 9/10 (blocks, databases, relations)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 5/10 (basic automations only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 2-50 users (flexible scale)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 7-14 days (custom setup required)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $24+ (Enterprise, custom)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited task/project features
Bear: N/A | Notion: 9/10 - Highly customizable
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8/10 - Steep learning curve
Bear: N/A | Notion: 9/10 - Native docs & databases
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic (manual linking only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Comprehensive (wiki, docs, databases, linked records)
Bear: N/A | Notion: No (requires manual setup with databases)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Very High (fully customizable databases and properties)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10 (free plan with guests)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Not available (must track manually)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $8/month (Team tier)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Excellent for non-technical users - intuitive linked properties
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited native two-way sync capability
Bear: N/A | Notion: Built-in AI assistant with limited agent connections
Bear: N/A | Notion: Steep learning curve with flexible drag-and-drop
Bear: N/A | Notion: Exceptional - optimized for feature roadmaps and linked data
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic (via integrations only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full editor (formatting, blocks, collaboration)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 100+ templates and integrations
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited with role-based permissions
Bear: N/A | Notion: Flexible block-based editor with databases
Bear: N/A | Notion: Teams, project managers, content creators
Bear: N/A | Notion: Views API, Markdown support, automatic retries (2026)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks and pages
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full relational database support
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited offline capabilities
Bear: N/A | Notion: Table, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gallery, List
Bear: N/A | Notion: REST API and official SDK
Bear: N/A | Notion: Comments, mentions, real-time editing, threads
Bear: N/A | Notion: Free (or $10/month for AI)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited offline; web-first platform
Bear: N/A | Notion: $0 (free tier exists)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic linked mentions; manual linking required
Bear: N/A | Notion: 400+ (official integrations)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 100+ million across all sectors
Bear: N/A | Notion: Free (Plus $10/user)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Moderate (2-3 seconds with complex databases)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1000+ through Zapier and native
Bear: N/A | Notion: All-in-one workspace & documentation
Bear: N/A | Notion: 3-7 days depending on customization
Bear: N/A | Notion: Native iOS/Android, good but slower
Bear: N/A | Notion: SSO, AI features, advanced permissions, audit logs
Bear: N/A | Notion: 30-60 (database learning curve)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8 (iOS/Android, full sync)
Bear: N/A | Notion: PDF/CSV (some lock-in)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10+ million active users
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes, basic timeline view only
Bear: N/A | Notion: 3 requests per second (~180/min)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited (manual + integrations)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 50,000+ community templates
Bear: N/A | Notion: CSV / Markdown export
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited (limited API)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Notion AI (bundled in Business/Enterprise; trial on Free/Plus)
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Bear: N/A | Notion: AI-powered search, Q&A, writing assistance (add-on)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Centralized knowledge/PM workspace
Bear: N/A | Notion: $100 (10 users @ $10)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10 (Unlimited plan)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Read-only offline (web); requires app for editing
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full relational databases with 10+ view types
Bear: N/A | Notion: 5-10 hours for proficiency
Bear: N/A | Notion: Public API with Zapier/webhook support
Bear: N/A | Notion: 3 (full page, bookmark, simple)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic (AI blocks limited to Pro/Team plans)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 0 (no native integration)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 500+ via Zapier, native integrations, and API
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1000+ community and official templates
Bear: N/A | Notion: 30 minutes (learning curve for full features)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes - relations, filters, sorts, multiple views
Bear: N/A | Notion: 60+ (steep learning curve)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic (simple triggers and actions)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes - unlimited pages and sharing
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes (native relations, rollups, and rollup filters)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 6 (Table, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, Board, List)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10,000 (performance degrades noticeably after 5,000)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1,500+ (Zapier, Slack, webhooks, and native integrations)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Comments, mentions, reminders only
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (Plus plan)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Not FedRAMP authorized
Bear: N/A | Notion: $0 (limited to 1M blocks/month)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (team plan dependent)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1-to-1, Many-to-1, Many-to-Many
Bear: N/A | Notion: 12+ (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, etc.)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 6+ (complex feature set requires training)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8+ (PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV, etc.)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes - unlimited blocks and databases
Bear: N/A | Notion: 75+ million registered users (as of 2024)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $120 per year (Plus plan, no AI)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited in Team plan
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (per subscription)
Bear: N/A | Notion: No (third-party integrations only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Notion AI included in Pro/Team plans
Bear: N/A | Notion: Linear page-based structure
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited (paid plans)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full relational databases with filters, sorts, relations
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10000+ community templates
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full offline capability with sync
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited blocks + 10 GB files
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10 (unlimited access)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 50+ integrated features
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited (requires extension)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 20+ workspace templates
Bear: N/A | Notion: Timeline view available; no dependency or critical path analysis
Bear: N/A | Notion: Manual tracking only; no native capacity features
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10,000 rows (performance degrades)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited cross-database visibility
Bear: N/A | Notion: 5+ (Table, Gallery, Kanban, Calendar, Timeline)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $12 (Notion Team plan)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $0 (personal), $120/year (Pro single-user)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 5 GB (Notion personal, expandable)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 50+ (SUM, IF, COUNT, ROLLUP, etc.)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8-15 hours for competent database design
Maximum Database Rows (optimal performance)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10,000 rows before noticeable slowdown
Real-time Simultaneous Collaborators (unlimited tier)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited by workspace plan (typically 10-50 concurrent editors)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Excellent; optimized for mobile-first reading and editing
Native Data Visualization (charts, pivots)
Bear: N/A | Notion: No; requires third-party tools or manual workarounds
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full relational with rollups, formulas, aggregations
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited (formula-based)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes, real-time collaboration
Bear: N/A | Notion: Up to 10 databases/pages
Bear: N/A | Notion: 6 views (table, kanban, calendar, timeline, gallery, list)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited relations, rollups, formulas, and filters
Bear: N/A | Notion: View-only for complex databases; limited editing
Bear: N/A | Notion: 120-240 minutes (requires template setup)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Yes - rich-text with synced blocks and templates
Max Database Items Before Performance Degradation
Bear: N/A | Notion: No (Zapier workaround only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1-2 seconds (1000-2000ms)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10+ (stable with minor lag)
Bear: N/A | Notion: No native email; third-party only
Bear: N/A | Notion: 100+ REST API endpoints
Bear: N/A | Notion: Read-only mode offline
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1000+ community templates + Zapier/Make
Bear: N/A | Notion: iOS + Android official apps
Bear: N/A | Notion: 800+ official templates
Bear: N/A | Notion: Notion API + CSV/Markdown exports
Bear: N/A | Notion: $14 (Pro plan, annual)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $32 (Team plan, annual)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 12 basic automation triggers
Bear: N/A | Notion: 30 hours for proficiency
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic calendar view (limited critical path analysis)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited custom fields, relations, formulas, rollups, and linked databases
Bear: N/A | Notion: 500+ via Zapier, 50+ native
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10 (billed annually)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Optimized up to 10,000 items per view
Bear: N/A | Notion: Database automations, API integrations, Zapier/Make support
Bear: N/A | Notion: $120/month (Pro plan, capped usage)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $120/month (unlimited members, Pro)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 0 native (requires third-party integration)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full rich-text editor with embeds
Bear: N/A | Notion: Advanced, with rollups and filters
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited offline; requires internet for most features
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10-14 days for average user
Bear: N/A | Notion: Sync requires active internet connection
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10/user (free tier available)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited users, unlimited workspaces
Bear: N/A | Notion: Third-party only (Zapier)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Advanced (rollups, lookups, formulas)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 3 requests/second (180/min)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 1.4s (typical page/database view)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 300+ integrations via Zapier/native
Bear: N/A | Notion: $0 (Unlimited free tier)
Bear: N/A | Notion: No (requires integration)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 5 views (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 30+ automation options
Bear: N/A | Notion: 10+ types (includes relations, rollups, formulas, templates)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 2-4 hours to start productive work
Bear: N/A | Notion: Limited (basic role options, no granular permissions)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $150/month (15 members × $10)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $500/month (50 members × $10)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8 (relational, formulas, rollups, filters, sorts, synced blocks, templates)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited free tier available
Bear: N/A | Notion: 40% of desktop features
Base Monthly Cost Per User (Annual Billing)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Not native - timeline view available via database relations
Bear: N/A | Notion: Manual tracking via database properties
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full support with many-to-many relations and rollups
Bear: N/A | Notion: Basic - templates and button automations, limited conditional logic
Bear: N/A | Notion: 150+ integrations via Zapier, Make, and native connectors
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited pages (feature-limited)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 8 (basic actions only)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full rich-text editor with synced blocks
Bear: N/A | Notion: Linked databases with basic relations
Bear: N/A | Notion: 3 (Table, Board, Gallery)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10 (Personal Pro with AI)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 30-60 minutes to configure workspace
Bear: N/A | Notion: Advanced with filtering, sorting, and relations
Bear: N/A | Notion: Unlimited simultaneous editors
Bear: N/A | Notion: $10 (Plus plan, free tier available with limits)
Bear: N/A | Notion: $120/year ($600 over 5 years)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 2000-4000ms (dependent on internet)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Full (one-to-many, many-to-many, rollups, formulas)
Bear: N/A | Notion: Manual creation (no AI)
Bear: N/A | Notion: 20+ interface languages
Bear: N/A | Notion: 0% (no AI acceleration)
Bear vs Notion — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Bear vs Notion. Contains 414 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Bear vs Notion — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Bear vs Notion.
No. Bear is exclusively available on macOS and iOS, using iCloud for sync. If you need cross-platform access, Notion is the better choice as it supports Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and web browsers.
Can multiple people edit a Notion page at the same time?
Yes. Notion supports real-time collaboration with up to 100+ simultaneous editors. You can set granular permissions (view, edit, full access) per person or team. Bear lacks real-time collaboration entirely.
Which is better for personal journaling and daily notes?
Bear is superior for journaling due to its distraction-free interface, beautiful typography, and fast performance. Its tag system and search are ideal for personal notes. Notion is overkill unless you need structured databases alongside journaling.
How much does Notion cost compared to Bear?
Bear costs $2.99/month or $27.99/year. Notion offers a free tier, plus paid plans starting at $10/month (Plus) or $20/month (Business). Notion's free tier is more generous but has fewer database features.
Can I organize notes with tags in both apps?
Yes, both support tags. Bear uses a hashtag system (#tag) for simple flat organization. Notion uses tags within database fields and offers more advanced filtering, sorting, and relational capabilities for complex organizational needs.
Primary Use Case: Bear has Focused note-taking for writers, while Notion has All-in-one workspace platform.
Platform Availability: Bear has Apple ecosystem only (iOS, macOS, iCloud sync), while Notion has Cross-platform (Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android).
Collaboration Features: Bear has Limited to shared links and basic sharing, while Notion has Full real-time collaboration, team workspaces, permissions.
Database & Structure: Bear has Flat note organization with tags and folders, while Notion has Relational databases with multiple view types (table, gallery, timeline, kanban).
Pricing Model: Bear has $2.99/month or $27.99/year subscription, while Notion has Free tier + $10-20/month paid plans.
Learning Curve: Bear has Minimal - intuitive for casual note-taking, while Notion has Steep - requires time to master templates and databases.
Markdown Support: Bear has Native markdown with excellent text formatting, while Notion has Markdown support with limited native formatting.