Bear is a streamlined note-taking app optimized for writing and quick capture on Apple devices, while Roam Research is a complex knowledge management system designed for bidirectional linking and networked thinking across all platforms. Bear excels at simplicity and speed; Roam excels at relationship mapping and research workflows.
Bear vs Roam Research — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Bear if you want a fast, affordable, beautifully-designed note-taking app for Apple users who prioritize quick capture and distraction-free writing. Choose Roam Research if you're building a research database, need cross-platform access, and want to explore networked thinking with bidirectional linking and graph visualization—and are willing to invest in the learning curve.
Minimalist markdown note-taking app exclusive to Apple devices with elegant design.
Networked note-taking tool designed for bidirectional linking, knowledge graphs, and non-linear thinking with emphasis on daily notes.
Structured comparison data for Bear vs Roam Research with 155 attributes.
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Annual Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Maximum Document Size (Stable Performance)
Bear vs Roam Research — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Bear vs Roam Research.
No. Bear is exclusively available on Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, and Mac). It does not support Windows, Android, or web-based access. If you need cross-platform functionality, Roam Research is the better choice.
Does Bear support bidirectional linking like Roam?
No. Bear uses a traditional tag-based organization system and does not offer bidirectional linking or graph visualization. Roam Research's core feature is bidirectional linking, which automatically maps relationships between notes. If knowledge graph linking is essential, Roam is necessary.
What's the total cost difference over one year?
Bear's annual subscription is $29.99/year while Roam Research costs $165/year—a difference of $135.01 annually. Bear is approximately 82% cheaper per year. Over 5 years, you'd save $675 choosing Bear.
Roam Research is better suited for academic research due to bidirectional linking, graph visualization, and advanced querying capabilities that help map citations and conceptual relationships. However, if you only need a distraction-free writing and note repository without linking features, Bear is simpler and far cheaper.
Bear has full offline functionality on iOS and macOS—you can write, edit, and access all notes without internet. Roam Research is web-dependent and has very limited offline capabilities, requiring internet for most features. For offline-heavy workflows, Bear is clearly superior.