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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Find My

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Find My logo

Find My

Utilities

Apple's built-in app for locating devices, AirTags and shared people locations

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; Find My it only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Find My covers Device location.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and Find My actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and Find My differ
AttributeBear NotesFind My
Pricing modelfreemiumFree, built into Apple hardware and iCloud
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSiOS, macOS
CategoryProductivityUtilities
Founded2015Unknown

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

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 Find My

  • Device location
  • Lost Mode and remote erase
  • AirTag and Find My network tracking
  • People sharing
  • Unknown tracker alerts
  • Offline finding

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Find My

  • Locating a lost or stolen iPhone, iPad or Mac and remotely locking or erasing itnot Bear Notes
  • Tracking an AirTag attached to keys, a bag or luggagenot Bear Notes
  • Sharing live location with family members who have mutually agreed to share backnot Bear Notes
  • Getting an alert if an unknown tracker appears to be travelling with you unexpectedlynot 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

Find My

  • It only works within Apple's own device and accessory ecosystem, so it cannot locate Android phones or non-Apple trackers.
  • People location sharing requires both parties to have Apple devices and an iCloud account, which limits it in mixed-platform families or groups.
  • AirTags and the Find My network have been documented as a stalking tool when hidden on a person or vehicle without their knowledge, and while Apple has added unknown-tracker alerts, the underlying misuse risk is real and has prompted lawsuits and product changes over time.
  • Remote erase on a lost device is permanent and cannot be undone if the device is later recovered, so users need to be certain before using it.
  • It depends on other nearby Apple devices for offline location via the Find My network, so location accuracy in areas with few Apple device users nearby can be poor.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Find My

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Included with every Apple device and iCloud account
    • No subscription tier

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 Find My if

  • You need device location.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want lost mode and remote erase.
Find My review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Find My better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Find My at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Find My?
Bear Notes starts at Free and Find My at Free.
Does Bear Notes or Find My run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Find My runs on iOS, macOS.
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 Find My is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Find My cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Find My covers Device location, Lost Mode and remote erase, AirTag and Find My network tracking, People sharing.

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
Find My: Does Find My cost anything?

No, it is free and built into every Apple device with an iCloud account.

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
Find My: Can someone track my location without my consent?

Not through the People feature, which requires mutual opt-in, though hidden AirTags placed without consent are a documented separate misuse case Apple has added alerts to detect.

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
Find My: Is this the same as Find My Kids?

No, Find My Kids is an unrelated third party family location tracking app, not made by Apple.

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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