Evernote is a comprehensive cross-platform note-taking system with powerful organizational tools and web clipper, while Bear is a lightweight, beautifully designed markdown-focused app exclusive to Apple devices. Evernote suits complex information management; Bear excels for writers and Apple users prioritizing simplicity.
Evernote vs Bear — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Cloud-based note-taking application with folder organization and cross-platform synchronization.
Minimalist markdown note-taking app exclusive to Apple devices with elegant design.
Platform Availability. Markdown Support. Monthly Price (Premium). Note Organization. Web Clipper Capability. Free Storage Tier. User Interface Complexity
Choose Evernote if you need cross-platform access, complex organizational structures, web clipping, and work with diverse content types (images, PDFs, audio)—ideal for researchers, business professionals, and knowledge workers. Choose Bear if you're in the Apple ecosystem, prefer markdown writing, value minimalist design, and appreciate significantly lower costs—perfect for writers, students, and developers.
Evernote: 40 GB/month upload | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 10+ (article, simplified, bookmark, screenshot, full page) | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 50+ basic templates | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Up to 5 users per note | Bear: Not supported
Evernote: Full offline access across all devices | Bear: Full offline support on iOS/macOS; sync when online
Evernote: Full article capture with formatting preservation | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Basic - manual export only | Bear: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Evernote: $11.99/month | Bear: $2.99/month
Evernote: 50 MB | Bear: Unlimited (with free version)
Evernote: No - notebooks and tags only | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 0 - No Zapier support | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 5 (intuitive interface) | Bear: N/A
Annual Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Evernote: $119.99/year | Bear: $19.99/year
Evernote: 2 notebooks max | Bear: Unlimited notebooks
Evernote: Yes (included in paid plans) | Bear: No
Evernote: Yes (shared notebooks) | Bear: No (public links only)
Evernote: Limited (WYSIWYG primary) | Bear: Yes (full native support)
Evernote: 5 (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web) | Bear: 3 (Mac, iOS, iPadOS)
Evernote: 100MB per note | Bear: ~10MB practical limit
Evernote: 150+ integrations | Bear: ~50 integrations
Evernote: No (limited, requires tools) | Bear: Yes (full native support)
Evernote: All platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android) | Bear: iOS/Mac only (subscription required)
Evernote: 225+ million registered users (as of 2024) | Bear: ~5 million active users
Evernote: Full offline mode with complete sync | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Standard encryption (Evernote manages keys) | Bear: Yes, all notes E2EE
Evernote: Basic sharing, no real-time co-editing | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Full-featured with selective sync and formatting preservation | Bear: N/A
Evernote: No; proprietary codebase | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 3 (List, Tag, Saved Search) | Bear: 0 - flat folder/tag structure only
Evernote: 0.5 weeks (intuitive) | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Reliable background sync with full offline queue | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 5 platforms (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web) | Bear: 3 platforms (Mac, iPad, iPhone)
Evernote: Basic formatting only | Bear: Full markdown with syntax highlighting
Evernote: Yes (full-featured) | Bear: No
Evernote: 4 levels (Stack > Notebook > Folder > Note) | Bear: 2 levels (Folder > Note)
Evernote: Limited; feature-heavy interface | Bear: Yes (primary design philosophy)
Evernote: Full support iOS & Android | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Basic tags and notebooks only | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 2 (official apps for both platforms) | Bear: N/A
Evernote: Manual only (no automatic backlinks) | Bear: No
Evernote: Yes (desktop and mobile) | Bear: N/A
Evernote: 100+ | Bear: Limited (direct integrations)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: iOS, macOS, Web (3)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: No automatic backlinks; manual tagging only
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Tags and folders only
Evernote: N/A | Bear: iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Markdown, PDF, HTML
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 2-4 hours for basic use
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 49% (annual: $20.99)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Yes - native AI assistant
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 2 modes (limited customization)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Full (native offline)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: ~50 official extensions
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Proprietary (low portability)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 95% feature parity with desktop
Evernote: N/A | Bear: $36/year (premium subscription)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 3 (iOS, macOS, Web)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 200+ with syntax highlighting
Evernote: N/A | Bear: No native databases
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Not supported (external links only)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Full offline access with automatic sync
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Standard markdown (.md) format
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 5-10 minutes to productive use
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Limited API access
Evernote: N/A | Bear: No free tier (7-day trial only)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 3 platforms (macOS, iOS, iCloud Web)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Unlimited notes (tested with 50,000+)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Limited - basic web clipper only
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Full native markdown with code syntax highlighting
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Full offline support
Evernote: N/A | Bear: 3 formats (Markdown, PDF, HTML)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: $1.99/month (one-time purchase)
Maximum Document Size (Stable Performance)
Evernote: N/A | Bear: Full iOS, macOS, and web
Evernote vs Bear — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Evernote vs Bear. Contains 123 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Evernote vs Bear — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Evernote vs Bear.
Evernote has full Windows support with a dedicated application and web access. Bear is exclusively Apple—no Windows, Android, or web version exists. If Windows compatibility is essential, Evernote is the only choice.
Which app is better for markdown writing?
Bear is significantly superior for markdown users. It features full markdown syntax support with real-time syntax highlighting and live preview. Evernote only supports basic formatting and is not designed for markdown-first workflows. Developers and technical writers strongly prefer Bear for this reason.
How much does each app cost, and what's included in the free tier?
Evernote Free includes 60MB/month uploads with limited organizational features. Evernote Premium costs $11.99/month. Bear Free includes unlimited notes and 1GB/month uploads with full markdown support. Bear Premium costs $1.99/month and adds additional themes and advanced features. Bear's free tier is dramatically more generous.
Which app is better for saving web articles and research?
Evernote is far superior due to its powerful Web Clipper tool, which saves articles with formatting preserved, captures full-page screenshots, and integrates directly into your notebook system. Bear has no native web clipper and requires manual copying or third-party workarounds. For research workflows, Evernote is essential.
Can I organize notes into multiple folders in both apps?
Evernote offers a 4-level hierarchy (Stacks > Notebooks > Folders > Notes) plus tags and saved searches—extremely powerful for complex organization. Bear offers 2 levels (Folders > Notes) plus tags. Evernote is vastly more flexible for large note collections, while Bear's simplicity suits smaller, more focused collections.
Platform Availability: Evernote has Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Web, while Bear has Mac, iPad, iPhone only.
Markdown Support: Evernote has Limited (basic formatting only), while Bear has Full markdown with syntax highlighting.
Monthly Price (Premium): Evernote has $11.99/month, while Bear has $1.99/month.
Note Organization: Evernote has Notebooks + Tags + Stacks + Saved Searches, while Bear has Folders + Tags only.
Web Clipper Capability: Evernote has Full-featured clipper with formatting preservation, while Bear has No native web clipper.
Free Storage Tier: Evernote has 60MB/month (2GB total max), while Bear has Unlimited notes, 1GB/month uploads.
User Interface Complexity: Evernote has Feature-rich, steeper learning curve, while Bear has Minimal, intuitive design.