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Bear Notes vs ExpressVPN

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ExpressVPN logo

ExpressVPN

Software

High-speed, secure, and anonymous VPN service

From
$6.67/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bear Notes has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app; ExpressVPN the App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and ExpressVPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and ExpressVPN differ
AttributeBear NotesExpressVPN
Starting priceFree$6.67/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb, Desktop, Mobile, Api
Founded20152009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 ExpressVPN

  • Lightway protocol
  • TrustedServer technology
  • Network Lock kill switch
  • Split tunneling
  • No activity logs
  • Private DNS
  • Speed test
  • MediaStreamer

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

ExpressVPN

  • Vpnnot Bear Notes
  • Privacynot Bear Notes
  • Streamingnot 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

ExpressVPN

  • The App Store listing (seller Expressco Services, LLC) states subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the billing period, and that any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited on purchase
  • The same listing caps a single ExpressVPN subscription at 14 simultaneous device connections

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

ExpressVPN

$6.67/month
  • 1 Month$12.95/month
    • 8 devices
    • 94 countries
    • Unlimited bandwidth
  • 12 Months$6.67/month
    • All features
    • 3 months free
    • Best value
  • 6 Months$9.99/month
    • All features
    • 30-day guarantee

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 ExpressVPN if

  • You need lightway protocol.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
  • You also want trustedserver technology.
ExpressVPN review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or ExpressVPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and ExpressVPN at $6.67/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or ExpressVPN?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and $6.67/month for ExpressVPN.
Does Bear Notes or ExpressVPN run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. ExpressVPN runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile, Api.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Yes. Bear Notes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ExpressVPN starts at $6.67/month.
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 ExpressVPN is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that ExpressVPN cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. ExpressVPN covers Lightway protocol, TrustedServer technology, Network Lock kill switch, Split tunneling.
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