Can I use Bear or Obsidian on Windows?

No, Bear is Apple-exclusive and not available on Windows. Obsidian supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it the better choice for cross-platform users.

Which is better for knowledge management and connecting ideas?

Obsidian excels at knowledge management with its backlink system, knowledge graph visualization, and 1,200+ plugins for building interconnected notes. Bear lacks backlink functionality and is better suited for linear note-taking rather than networked knowledge systems.

Can I export my notes from Bear or Obsidian?

Both support export, but Obsidian is superior: it stores notes as standard markdown files you own locally, ensuring 100% portability. Bear uses a proprietary format and requires manual export if you leave the app.

Which is cheaper in the long run?

Obsidian is free for personal use indefinitely. Bear costs $29.99/year (or $2.99/month). If you don't need Obsidian's optional Sync service ($50 one-time), Obsidian is significantly cheaper over time.

Is Obsidian harder to learn than Bear?

Yes. Bear has a shallow learning curve and is ready to use within minutes. Obsidian requires understanding markdown syntax, YAML frontmatter, and backlink concepts, making it take 10-15 minutes to set up and longer to master, but it's well worth it for power users.

Bear vs Obsidian

Updated June 15, 2026

Bear

Apple-exclusive note-taking app with elegant design and iCloud sync.

Apple users who prioritize ease of use, design aesthetics, and don't need cross-platform access or advanced customization.

Check Price

Obsidian

Local-first markdown note-taking app for Windows, Mac, and Linux with extensive plugin support and no mandatory fees.

Knowledge workers, researchers, developers, and power users who value data ownership, cross-platform access, and want to build large interconnected knowledge systems.

Short Answer

Bear is a lightweight, beautifully designed note-taking app optimized for Apple devices with native sync, while Obsidian is a powerful, open-source knowledge management system with local-first storage and extensive plugin ecosystem. Bear focuses on ease of use; Obsidian prioritizes data ownership and customization.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Choose Bear if you value simplicity, beautiful design, seamless Apple ecosystem integration, and don't need cross-platform support—it's ideal for casual note-taking and journaling. Choose Obsidian if you need cross-platform access, want full data ownership, require advanced customization through plugins, or work with large knowledge bases—it's better for knowledge workers, researchers, and developers.

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Bear7

8Obsidian

Choose Bear if

Apple users who prioritize ease of use, design aesthetics, and don't need cross-platform access or advanced customization.

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Key Differences at a Glance

🔹

Platform Support: Obsidian wins (Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) vs Apple only (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS))

💾

Data Storage: Obsidian wins (Local-first (markdown files on device/cloud of choice) vs Cloud-based (iCloud sync, proprietary servers))

🔹

Pricing Model: Obsidian wins (Free for personal use; $50 one-time for Obsidian Sync (optional) vs $2.99/month or $29.99/year subscription)

See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	Bear	Obsidian	Diff
User Rating(stars)	4.7	—	—
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)	$2.99/month	—	—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)	$2.99	—	—
Database/Relational Structure(view types)	Tags and folders only	—	—

Key Differences

Bear

Attribute

Obsidian

Apple only (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)

Platform Support

Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)🏆

Cloud-based (iCloud sync, proprietary servers)

Data Storage

Local-first (markdown files on device/cloud of choice)🏆

$2.99/month or $29.99/year subscription

Pricing Model

Free for personal use; $50 one-time for Obsidian Sync (optional)

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Platform Support

Bear

Apple only (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)

Obsidian

Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)🏆

Data Storage

Bear

Cloud-based (iCloud sync, proprietary servers)

Obsidian

Local-first (markdown files on device/cloud of choice)🏆

Pricing Model

Bear

$2.99/month or $29.99/year subscription

Obsidian

Free for personal use; $50 one-time for Obsidian Sync (optional)🏆

Plugin Ecosystem

Bear

Limited: ~50 official extensions, closed system

Obsidian

Extensive: 1,200+ community plugins, open-source architecture🏆

Learning Curve

Bear

Minimal—intuitive interface, ready to use immediately🏆

Obsidian

Moderate—requires learning markdown, YAML, and backlinks

Data Portability

Bear

Difficult—proprietary format, export required

Obsidian

Excellent—standard markdown files, 100% portable🏆

Mobile Experience

Bear

Native iOS/iPadOS apps with full feature parity🏆

Obsidian

iOS app available but with limited plugin support on mobile

Full Comparison

Attribute	Bear	Obsidian

Price(USD/year)	$27.99/year	—

User Rating(stars)	4.7	—

Number of Reviews(count)	318	—

Markdown Support	Full support	—
Document Scanning	Basic scanning	—
Call Recording & Transcription (2026)	Not available	—
Third-Party Integrations	Extensive	—
Bidirectional Linking(null)	No - manual tags only	—
Show 6 more attributes Offline Functionality Full offline access (syncs when reconnected) Full offline access Export Format Options(count) 4 formats (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text) — Built-in AI Writing Assistance Yes - native AI assistant — Available Plugins/Extensions(count) ~50 official extensions 1000+ community plugins Team Collaboration Features(count) Minimal (plugin-dependent) — Built-in Task Management(feature completeness) Via plugins only —

Platforms Supported(count)	iOS, macOS, Web (3)	—
Native Platforms Supported(platforms)	iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only)	—
Supported Platforms	4 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)	5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)	$2.99/month	—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)	$2.99	—
Annual Subscription Discount(% savings)	49% (annual: $20.99)	—
One-Time Purchase Option	Not available	—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)	$29.99/year	Free (with optional $50 Sync)
Show 11 more attributes Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD) $0 (free) — Sync Service Cost(USD/year) $96 — One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD) $89 — Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD) $0 (not designed for teams) — Price (personal) Free — Price (sync) Obsidian Sync $4/mo — Price (team) N/A (no team plan) — Base Subscription Cost(USD/month) Free (Sync $8/month optional) — Annual Cost (Individual)(USD) $0-96/year (depending on add-ons) — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $0/month (free tier) — Annual Cost (Single User)(USD) $0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync) —

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)	Not supported	0 (no native support)
Real-time Collaboration(users)	No native support	—

End-to-End Encryption(availability)	Yes, all notes E2EE	—
Open Source	No (free but proprietary)	—

Offline Access Capability(platforms)	Full access on all platforms	—
Offline Access(capability)	Full offline with sync	Full offline support included
Graph View Visualization(feature)	Built-in graph with plugin enhancements	—

Database/Relational Structure(view types)	Tags and folders only	—

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)	None	—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)	Unlimited	—

Export Formats(formats supported)	Markdown, PDF, HTML	—
Storage Format(format type)	Standard Markdown (.md files)	—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)	2-4 hours for basic use	—
Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)	8/10 (gentle)	—

Third-Party Integrations(count)	Limited (direct integrations)	—

Focus/Distraction-Free Modes(count)	2 modes (limited customization)	—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)	2-3 minutes	10-15 minutes

Data Format(portability score)	Proprietary (low portability)	Standard markdown (high portability)

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)	95% feature parity with desktop	70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

Maximum Note Size(MB)	Unlimited (iCloud dependent)	Unlimited (device storage dependent)

Storage Location	Local device	—
Data Ownership	100% local (user controls all files)	—

Monthly Cost(USD)	Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)	—

Active Users	~1M+	—
Monthly Active Users(millions)	~2.5M (estimated)	—
Users (Estimated)(millions)	5M+ downloads on mobile alone	—

Offline Capability(Percentage)	Complete (100%)	—

Database & Relation Support	Basic (via plugins only)	—

Native AI Features	No (plugin-based only)	—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)	1000+ (community plugins)	—
Community Plugins(count)	1000+	—
AI integration	Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)	—

Offline Functionality(percentage)	100%	—

Setup Time(minutes)	30-45	—

API Access(available)	Limited (HTTP API beta)	—

Funding Raised(millions USD)	Bootstrapped (private)	—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)	9 (advanced graph visualization)	—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)	5-15 (markdown basics)	—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)	7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)	—

Data Export / Portability(format support)	Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)	—

Active User Base (approximate)(millions)	3+ million active users	—

Architecture	Local Markdown files	—
Note format	Plain Markdown	—
Data portability	Native Markdown (always portable)	—

Collaboration	No (single-player by default)	—
Sync	Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox	—

Mobile app quality	Yes	—

Outliner / block linking	Via Outliner plugin	—
Bidirectional links	Yes (via [[links]])	—
Graph / network view	Yes — link graph	—
Database / table view	Via Dataview plugin	—
Templates	Yes (community + core)	—
Show 2 more attributes Kanban / tasks Via plugins — Spaced repetition Via Spaced Repetition plugin —

Plugin / app ecosystem	1,500+ community plugins	—

Community Plugins Available(count)	1,000+ plugins	—

Data Storage Location	Local device or user-chosen cloud storage	—

Mobile App Support	iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)	—

Free Trial Period(days)	Unlimited (fully free tier)	—

Bear

Obsidian

Price(USD/year)

$27.99/year

—

User Rating(stars)

4.7

—

Number of Reviews(count)

318

—

Markdown Support

Full support

—

Document Scanning

Basic scanning

—

Call Recording & Transcription (2026)

Not available

—

Third-Party Integrations

Extensive

—

Bidirectional Linking(null)

No - manual tags only

—

Show 6 more attributes

Offline Functionality

Full offline access (syncs when reconnected)

Full offline access

Export Format Options(count)

4 formats (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text)

—

Built-in AI Writing Assistance

Yes - native AI assistant

—

Available Plugins/Extensions(count)

~50 official extensions

1000+ community plugins

Team Collaboration Features(count)

Minimal (plugin-dependent)

—

Built-in Task Management(feature completeness)

Via plugins only

—

Platforms Supported(count)

iOS, macOS, Web (3)

—

Native Platforms Supported(platforms)

iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only)

—

Supported Platforms

4 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)

5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)

$2.99/month

—

Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)

$2.99

—

Annual Subscription Discount(% savings)

49% (annual: $20.99)

—

One-Time Purchase Option

Not available

—

Annual Subscription Cost(USD)

$29.99/year

Free (with optional $50 Sync)

Show 11 more attributes

Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0 (free)

—

Sync Service Cost(USD/year)

$96

—

One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD)

$89

—

Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD)

$0 (not designed for teams)

—

Price (personal)

Free

—

Price (sync)

Obsidian Sync $4/mo

—

Price (team)

N/A (no team plan)

—

Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)

Free (Sync $8/month optional)

—

Annual Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0-96/year (depending on add-ons)

—

Base Monthly Cost(USD)

$0/month (free tier)

—

Annual Cost (Single User)(USD)

$0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync)

—

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)

Not supported

0 (no native support)

Real-time Collaboration(users)

No native support

—

End-to-End Encryption(availability)

Yes, all notes E2EE

—

Open Source

No (free but proprietary)

—

Offline Access Capability(platforms)

Full access on all platforms

—

Offline Access(capability)

Full offline with sync

Full offline support included

Graph View Visualization(feature)

Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

—

Database/Relational Structure(view types)

Tags and folders only

—

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)

None

—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)

Unlimited

—

Export Formats(formats supported)

Markdown, PDF, HTML

—

Storage Format(format type)

Standard Markdown (.md files)

—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)

2-4 hours for basic use

—

Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)

8/10 (gentle)

—

Third-Party Integrations(count)

Limited (direct integrations)

—

Focus/Distraction-Free Modes(count)

2 modes (limited customization)

—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)

2-3 minutes

10-15 minutes

Data Format(portability score)

Proprietary (low portability)

Standard markdown (high portability)

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)

95% feature parity with desktop

70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

Maximum Note Size(MB)

Unlimited (iCloud dependent)

Unlimited (device storage dependent)

Storage Location

Local device

—

Data Ownership

100% local (user controls all files)

—

Monthly Cost(USD)

Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)

—

Active Users

~1M+

—

Monthly Active Users(millions)

~2.5M (estimated)

—

Users (Estimated)(millions)

5M+ downloads on mobile alone

—

Offline Capability(Percentage)

Complete (100%)

—

Database & Relation Support

Basic (via plugins only)

—

Native AI Features

No (plugin-based only)

—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)

1000+ (community plugins)

—

Community Plugins(count)

1000+

—

AI integration

Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)

—

Offline Functionality(percentage)

100%

—

Setup Time(minutes)

30-45

—

API Access(available)

Limited (HTTP API beta)

—

Funding Raised(millions USD)

Bootstrapped (private)

—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)

9 (advanced graph visualization)

—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)

5-15 (markdown basics)

—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)

7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)

—

Data Export / Portability(format support)

Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)

—

Active User Base (approximate)(millions)

3+ million active users

—

Architecture

Local Markdown files

—

Note format

Plain Markdown

—

Data portability

Native Markdown (always portable)

—

Collaboration

No (single-player by default)

—

Sync

Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox

—

Mobile app quality

Yes

—

Outliner / block linking

Via Outliner plugin

—

Bidirectional links

Yes (via [[links]])

—

Graph / network view

Yes — link graph

—

Database / table view

Via Dataview plugin

—

Templates

Yes (community + core)

—

Show 2 more attributes

Kanban / tasks

Via plugins

—

Spaced repetition

Via Spaced Repetition plugin

—

Plugin / app ecosystem

1,500+ community plugins

—

Community Plugins Available(count)

1,000+ plugins

—

Data Storage Location

Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

—

Mobile App Support

iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

—

Free Trial Period(days)

Unlimited (fully free tier)

—

Full Comparison

Attribute	Bear	Obsidian

Price(USD/year)	$27.99/year	—

User Rating(stars)	4.7	—

Number of Reviews(count)	318	—

Markdown Support	Full support	—
Document Scanning	Basic scanning	—
Call Recording & Transcription (2026)	Not available	—
Third-Party Integrations	Extensive	—
Bidirectional Linking(null)	No - manual tags only	—
Show 6 more attributes Offline Functionality Full offline access (syncs when reconnected) Full offline access Export Format Options(count) 4 formats (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text) — Built-in AI Writing Assistance Yes - native AI assistant — Available Plugins/Extensions(count) ~50 official extensions 1000+ community plugins Team Collaboration Features(count) Minimal (plugin-dependent) — Built-in Task Management(feature completeness) Via plugins only —

Platforms Supported(count)	iOS, macOS, Web (3)	—
Native Platforms Supported(platforms)	iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only)	—
Supported Platforms	4 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)	5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)	$2.99/month	—
Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)	$2.99	—
Annual Subscription Discount(% savings)	49% (annual: $20.99)	—
One-Time Purchase Option	Not available	—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)	$29.99/year	Free (with optional $50 Sync)
Show 11 more attributes Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD) $0 (free) — Sync Service Cost(USD/year) $96 — One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD) $89 — Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD) $0 (not designed for teams) — Price (personal) Free — Price (sync) Obsidian Sync $4/mo — Price (team) N/A (no team plan) — Base Subscription Cost(USD/month) Free (Sync $8/month optional) — Annual Cost (Individual)(USD) $0-96/year (depending on add-ons) — Base Monthly Cost(USD) $0/month (free tier) — Annual Cost (Single User)(USD) $0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync) —

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)	Not supported	0 (no native support)
Real-time Collaboration(users)	No native support	—

End-to-End Encryption(availability)	Yes, all notes E2EE	—
Open Source	No (free but proprietary)	—

Offline Access Capability(platforms)	Full access on all platforms	—
Offline Access(capability)	Full offline with sync	Full offline support included
Graph View Visualization(feature)	Built-in graph with plugin enhancements	—

Database/Relational Structure(view types)	Tags and folders only	—

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)	None	—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)	Unlimited	—

Export Formats(formats supported)	Markdown, PDF, HTML	—
Storage Format(format type)	Standard Markdown (.md files)	—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)	2-4 hours for basic use	—
Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)	8/10 (gentle)	—

Third-Party Integrations(count)	Limited (direct integrations)	—

Focus/Distraction-Free Modes(count)	2 modes (limited customization)	—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)	2-3 minutes	10-15 minutes

Data Format(portability score)	Proprietary (low portability)	Standard markdown (high portability)

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)	95% feature parity with desktop	70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

Maximum Note Size(MB)	Unlimited (iCloud dependent)	Unlimited (device storage dependent)

Storage Location	Local device	—
Data Ownership	100% local (user controls all files)	—

Monthly Cost(USD)	Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)	—

Active Users	~1M+	—
Monthly Active Users(millions)	~2.5M (estimated)	—
Users (Estimated)(millions)	5M+ downloads on mobile alone	—

Offline Capability(Percentage)	Complete (100%)	—

Database & Relation Support	Basic (via plugins only)	—

Native AI Features	No (plugin-based only)	—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)	1000+ (community plugins)	—
Community Plugins(count)	1000+	—
AI integration	Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)	—

Offline Functionality(percentage)	100%	—

Setup Time(minutes)	30-45	—

API Access(available)	Limited (HTTP API beta)	—

Funding Raised(millions USD)	Bootstrapped (private)	—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)	9 (advanced graph visualization)	—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)	5-15 (markdown basics)	—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)	7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)	—

Data Export / Portability(format support)	Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)	—

Active User Base (approximate)(millions)	3+ million active users	—

Architecture	Local Markdown files	—
Note format	Plain Markdown	—
Data portability	Native Markdown (always portable)	—

Collaboration	No (single-player by default)	—
Sync	Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox	—

Mobile app quality	Yes	—

Outliner / block linking	Via Outliner plugin	—
Bidirectional links	Yes (via [[links]])	—
Graph / network view	Yes — link graph	—
Database / table view	Via Dataview plugin	—
Templates	Yes (community + core)	—
Show 2 more attributes Kanban / tasks Via plugins — Spaced repetition Via Spaced Repetition plugin —

Plugin / app ecosystem	1,500+ community plugins	—

Community Plugins Available(count)	1,000+ plugins	—

Data Storage Location	Local device or user-chosen cloud storage	—

Mobile App Support	iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)	—

Free Trial Period(days)	Unlimited (fully free tier)	—

Bear

Obsidian

Price(USD/year)

$27.99/year

—

User Rating(stars)

4.7

—

Number of Reviews(count)

318

—

Markdown Support

Full support

—

Document Scanning

Basic scanning

—

Call Recording & Transcription (2026)

Not available

—

Third-Party Integrations

Extensive

—

Bidirectional Linking(null)

No - manual tags only

—

Show 6 more attributes

Offline Functionality

Full offline access (syncs when reconnected)

Full offline access

Export Format Options(count)

4 formats (PDF, HTML, Markdown, Plain Text)

—

Built-in AI Writing Assistance

Yes - native AI assistant

—

Available Plugins/Extensions(count)

~50 official extensions

1000+ community plugins

Team Collaboration Features(count)

Minimal (plugin-dependent)

—

Built-in Task Management(feature completeness)

Via plugins only

—

Platforms Supported(count)

iOS, macOS, Web (3)

—

Native Platforms Supported(platforms)

iOS, iPadOS, macOS (Apple only)

—

Supported Platforms

4 (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, visionOS)

5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)

$2.99/month

—

Monthly Subscription Cost (Individual)(USD)

$2.99

—

Annual Subscription Discount(% savings)

49% (annual: $20.99)

—

One-Time Purchase Option

Not available

—

Annual Subscription Cost(USD)

$29.99/year

Free (with optional $50 Sync)

Show 11 more attributes

Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0 (free)

—

Sync Service Cost(USD/year)

$96

—

One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD)

$89

—

Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD)

$0 (not designed for teams)

—

Price (personal)

Free

—

Price (sync)

Obsidian Sync $4/mo

—

Price (team)

N/A (no team plan)

—

Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)

Free (Sync $8/month optional)

—

Annual Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0-96/year (depending on add-ons)

—

Base Monthly Cost(USD)

$0/month (free tier)

—

Annual Cost (Single User)(USD)

$0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync)

—

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)

Not supported

0 (no native support)

Real-time Collaboration(users)

No native support

—

End-to-End Encryption(availability)

Yes, all notes E2EE

—

Open Source

No (free but proprietary)

—

Offline Access Capability(platforms)

Full access on all platforms

—

Offline Access(capability)

Full offline with sync

Full offline support included

Graph View Visualization(feature)

Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

—

Database/Relational Structure(view types)

Tags and folders only

—

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)

None

—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)

Unlimited

—

Export Formats(formats supported)

Markdown, PDF, HTML

—

Storage Format(format type)

Standard Markdown (.md files)

—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)

2-4 hours for basic use

—

Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)

8/10 (gentle)

—

Third-Party Integrations(count)

Limited (direct integrations)

—

Focus/Distraction-Free Modes(count)

2 modes (limited customization)

—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)

2-3 minutes

10-15 minutes

Data Format(portability score)

Proprietary (low portability)

Standard markdown (high portability)

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)

95% feature parity with desktop

70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

Maximum Note Size(MB)

Unlimited (iCloud dependent)

Unlimited (device storage dependent)

Storage Location

Local device

—

Data Ownership

100% local (user controls all files)

—

Monthly Cost(USD)

Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)

—

Active Users

~1M+

—

Monthly Active Users(millions)

~2.5M (estimated)

—

Users (Estimated)(millions)

5M+ downloads on mobile alone

—

Offline Capability(Percentage)

Complete (100%)

—

Database & Relation Support

Basic (via plugins only)

—

Native AI Features

No (plugin-based only)

—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)

1000+ (community plugins)

—

Community Plugins(count)

1000+

—

AI integration

Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)

—

Offline Functionality(percentage)

100%

—

Setup Time(minutes)

30-45

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API Access(available)

Limited (HTTP API beta)

—

Funding Raised(millions USD)

Bootstrapped (private)

—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)

9 (advanced graph visualization)

—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)

5-15 (markdown basics)

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Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)

7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)

—

Data Export / Portability(format support)

Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)

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Active User Base (approximate)(millions)

3+ million active users

—

Architecture

Local Markdown files

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Note format

Plain Markdown

—

Data portability

Native Markdown (always portable)

—

Collaboration

No (single-player by default)

—

Sync

Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox

—

Mobile app quality

Yes

—

Outliner / block linking

Via Outliner plugin

—

Bidirectional links

Yes (via [[links]])

—

Graph / network view

Yes — link graph

—

Database / table view

Via Dataview plugin

—

Templates

Yes (community + core)

—

Show 2 more attributes

Kanban / tasks

Via plugins

—

Spaced repetition

Via Spaced Repetition plugin

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Plugin / app ecosystem

1,500+ community plugins

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Community Plugins Available(count)

1,000+ plugins

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Data Storage Location

Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

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Mobile App Support

iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

—

Free Trial Period(days)

Unlimited (fully free tier)

—

Bear vs Obsidian

Bear

Obsidian

Short Answer

Our Verdict

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Bear vs Obsidian

Bear

Obsidian

Short Answer

Our Verdict

🔔Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Related Articles

Explore Entities

More Software

People Also Compare

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Bear

Pros

Cons

Obsidian

Pros

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Cons

Track this comparison