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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Focus@Will

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Focus@Will logo

Focus@Will

Productivity

Subscription streaming of instrumental music channels intended to be worked to rather than listened to

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; Focus@Will the central claim, that this music aids concentration more than other instrumental music, rests largely on work the vendor commissioned or published itself, and a buyer has no independent way to test it before paying.
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Focus@Will covers Channels by style.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and Focus@Will actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and Focus@Will differ
AttributeBear NotesFocus@Will
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
Founded20152011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Focus@Will

  • Channels by style
  • Session timer
  • Vocal-free catalogue
  • Browser and mobile
  • Single-purpose subscription

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Focus@Will

  • An open-plan office where you want to mask conversation without lyrics competing for your attention.not Bear Notes
  • Timed work blocks where the audio also acts as the clock for the session.not Bear Notes
  • People who find their own music library distracting precisely because they know every track too well.not Bear Notes
  • Study and revision sessions where silence turns out to be worse than background sound.not 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

Focus@Will

  • The central claim, that this music aids concentration more than other instrumental music, rests largely on work the vendor commissioned or published itself, and a buyer has no independent way to test it before paying.
  • Everything it does has a free substitute, since instrumental playlists on any streaming service cost nothing, so the subscription is defended only by curation, which is the hardest kind of value to demonstrate.
  • It is a single-product subscription from a small vendor with no larger business underwriting it, so a service like this can change hands, change terms or stop with little notice and no obvious successor.
  • Delivery is by streaming, so weak connectivity, aeroplanes and commutes are simultaneously where you most want it and where it is least dependable.
  • Nothing accumulates in the account, which means there is no export problem but also nothing that makes renewal feel necessary, so it is among the first subscriptions cancelled whenever costs are reviewed.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Focus@Will

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited access to music
    • Basic 25-min timer
    • Ads
  • Basic$4.95/month
    • Unlimited music access
    • Custom timers
    • No ads
  • Pro$9.95/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support

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 Focus@Will if

  • You need channels by style.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want session timer.
Focus@Will review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Focus@Will better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Focus@Will at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Focus@Will?
Bear Notes starts at Free and Focus@Will at Free.
Does Bear Notes or Focus@Will run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Focus@Will runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
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 Focus@Will is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Focus@Will cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Focus@Will covers Channels by style, Session timer, Vocal-free catalogue, Browser and mobile.

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
Focus@Will: How is this different from a focus playlist?

The vendor's position is that the selection and sequencing are designed against attention research rather than assembled by taste. Whether that difference is audible to you is the whole question, and it is subjective.

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
Focus@Will: Does it work offline?

Treat it as a streaming service that needs a connection. If you work on aeroplanes or in poor coverage, check the current apps before subscribing rather than after.

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
Focus@Will: Can a team use it?

It is sold to individuals. There is no admin console or central billing of the kind an organisation would need, so a team means several personal subscriptions.

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
Focus@Will: Can I use the music in videos or streams?

No. A personal listening subscription does not grant synchronisation or broadcast rights, so it must not sit behind published content.

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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