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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Canary Mail

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Canary Mail logo

Canary Mail

Productivity

Security-focused AI email client with end-to-end encryption and a lifetime purchase option

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app; Canary Mail pGP encryption only protects a message if the recipient also supports and uses PGP, so most everyday mail to non-technical contacts stays unencrypted regardless.
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Canary Mail covers AI Copilot.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and Canary Mail actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and Canary Mail differ
AttributeBear NotesCanary Mail
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per year, or one-time purchase
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android
Founded2015Unknown

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 Bear Notes

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

Only in Canary Mail

  • AI Copilot
  • AI Summaries
  • Smart Search
  • PGP encryption
  • Read receipts
  • Lifetime licence

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Canary Mail

  • A privacy-conscious user who wants PGP encryption built into a mainstream-feeling clientnot Bear Notes
  • Someone who wants to avoid an open-ended subscription and prefers a lifetime purchasenot Bear Notes
  • A user who wants AI summaries without sending mail content through an unfamiliar third party indefinitelynot Bear Notes
  • Someone consolidating several IMAP accounts into one client with unified searchnot Bear Notes

Where each one falls short

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

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

Canary Mail

  • PGP encryption only protects a message if the recipient also supports and uses PGP, so most everyday mail to non-technical contacts stays unencrypted regardless.
  • Team and shared-inbox features are minimal compared with Spark or dedicated tools, so it does not suit a support team out of the box.
  • The lifetime purchase price and terms have shifted over past versions, and buyers should confirm current lifetime pricing directly before assuming it still applies.
  • AI features still require sending thread content to a processing service to generate drafts and summaries, so the privacy story is stronger for encryption than for the AI layer itself.
  • Windows and Android apps have historically received updates later than the macOS and iOS versions.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Canary Mail

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unified inbox
    • Basic search
    • PGP support
  • Growth$36/year
    • AI Copilot and summaries
    • Send later
    • Inbox cleaner
  • Pro+$100/year
    • Advanced security features
    • Priority support
    • All Growth features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Canary Mail if

  • You need ai copilot.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want ai summaries.
Canary Mail review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Canary Mail better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Canary Mail at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Canary Mail?
Bear Notes starts at Free and Canary Mail at Free.
Does Bear Notes or Canary Mail run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Canary Mail runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bear Notes best used for?
Bear Notes is most often used for markdown note taking on apple devices, organising notes with nested hashtags rather than folders, exporting notes to pdf, docx, html or epub. Of those, markdown note taking on apple devices and organising notes with nested hashtags rather than folders are not what Canary Mail is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Canary Mail cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Canary Mail covers AI Copilot, AI Summaries, Smart Search, PGP encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bear Notes: How much does Bear Pro cost per month or year?

Bear Pro costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. Annual subscribers receive a 15% discount compared to monthly pricing.

Source
Canary Mail: Does Canary Mail host my email?

No, it is a client over Gmail, Outlook, iCloud or IMAP accounts you already have.

Bear Notes: Does Bear offer a free trial before committing to a subscription?

Yes, Bear Pro includes a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
Canary Mail: Is the lifetime licence still available?

Canary has offered a one-time lifetime purchase alongside its subscriptions; check current pricing on their site as terms have changed over time.

Bear Notes: What export formats are available with Bear Pro?

Bear Pro subscribers can export notes in multiple formats including TXT, Markdown, TextBundle, RTF, PDF, JPG, HTML, DOCX, and ePub.

Source
Canary Mail: Does PGP encryption work automatically?

Only between users who both have PGP set up; it does not encrypt mail to recipients without it.

Bear Notes: Can I sync my notes across devices with the free Bear plan?

No, iCloud sync is only available with Bear Pro. The free plan allows local note access but does not support cloud synchronization across devices.

Source
Bear Notes: What features are included in the free Bear plan?

The free plan includes local note access, document scanning, limited export formats, 3 themes, and 1 app icon. PDF and image search requires Bear Pro.

Source
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