Softwr

Productivity · head to head

7-Zip vs Bear Notes

7-Zip logo

7-Zip

Productivity

Free and open-source file archiver with high compression and strong encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 7-Zip windows-centric GUI design; native graphical interface is Windows-only, with no first-class macOS or Linux GUI applications provided; Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 7-Zip and Bear Notes actually diverge.

Attributes where 7-Zip and Bear Notes differ
Attribute7-ZipBear Notes
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsWindows, Linux, macOSMacOS, IOS, IPadOS
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 7-Zip

Nothing recorded that Bear Notes does not also cover.

Only in Bear Notes

  • Markdown-based notes
  • Powerful tag system
  • Rich text formatting
  • Image support
  • iCloud sync
  • Dark and light themes
  • Encryption support
  • Backup and restore

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

7-Zip

  • Creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisationnot Bear Notes
  • Distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive toolsnot Bear Notes
  • Unpacking diverse archive formats (RAR, ISO, DMG) without purchasing separate toolsnot Bear Notes
  • CI/CD automation via command-line compression and extractionnot Bear Notes
  • Encrypting sensitive files with AES-256 for secure transmissionnot Bear Notes
  • Restoring archived VirtualBox and VMware disk imagesnot Bear Notes

Bear Notes

  • Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot 7-Zip
  • Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot 7-Zip
  • Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot 7-Zip

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

7-Zip

  • Windows-centric GUI design; native graphical interface is Windows-only, with no first-class macOS or Linux GUI applications provided
  • Linux and macOS support primarily through command-line tools; no native file manager integration on these platforms
  • User interface design is dated compared to modern alternatives; visual feedback and UX polish lag behind commercial archivers
  • ARM64 support limited to Windows; no ARM64 build for Linux or macOS despite growing ARM adoption
  • No built-in cloud storage integration or synchronisation; cannot extract directly to Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive

Bear Notes

  • Apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app
  • Sync across devices requires Bear Pro and works through iCloud only
  • The free version is limited to 3 export formats, 3 themes and 1 app icon
  • OCR search inside images and PDFs is Pro only
  • Note encryption is Pro only
  • The Pro trial lasts 7 days

Pricing, plan by plan

7-Zip

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the 7-Zip review.

Bear Notes

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Note creation and organization
    • Tags
    • Local sync
  • Premium$1.99/month
    • iCloud sync
    • Themes
    • Markdown export

Which should you pick?

Choose 7-Zip if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, macOS.
7-Zip review

Choose Bear Notes if

  • You need markdown-based notes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
  • You also want powerful tag system.
Bear Notes review

Questions people ask

Is 7-Zip or Bear Notes better?
Neither clearly leads. 7-Zip starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 7-Zip or Bear Notes?
7-Zip starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free.
Does 7-Zip or Bear Notes run on more platforms?
7-Zip runs on Windows, Linux, macOS. Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
Can I use 7-Zip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is 7-Zip best used for?
7-Zip is most often used for creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisation, distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive tools, unpacking diverse archive formats (rar, iso, dmg) without purchasing separate tools, ci/cd automation via command-line compression and extraction. Of those, creating highly compressed archives for backup and storage optimisation and distributing self-extracting executables to users who lack archive tools are not what Bear Notes is typically brought in for.
What can 7-Zip do that Bear Notes cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

7-Zip: Is 7-Zip free to use commercially?

Yes. 7-Zip is licensed under GNU LGPL with BSD 3-clause portions, permitting commercial and personal use without fees, registration, or restrictions.

Source
7-Zip: What file formats does 7-Zip support?

7-Zip natively creates 7z archives and supports packing/unpacking ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2, XZ, TAR, and WIM. It can unpack 30+ additional formats including RAR, ISO, DMG, and VirtualBox disk images without requiring external tools.

Source
7-Zip: Does 7-Zip work on macOS and Linux?

Yes. 7-Zip operates on Windows, Linux, and macOS. Graphical interfaces are optimised for Windows; Linux and macOS primarily use command-line tools. Port and third-party GUI applications extend functionality on these platforms.

Source
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Related pages

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