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Software · head to head

Bear Notes vs Kanbanize

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kanbanize logo

Kanbanize

Software

Enterprise Kanban software for agile teams

From
On request
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; Kanbanize no per user price or minimum user count is published, despite the page being headed simple pricing
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Kanbanize covers Kanban boards.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Kanbanize differ
AttributeBear NotesKanbanize
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20152012

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 Kanbanize

  • Kanban boards
  • Portfolio Kanban
  • Workflow automation
  • Analytics
  • Timeline
  • Jira
  • Azure DevOps
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Kanbanize

  • Kanban boards and portfolio management for scaled agile teamsnot Bear Notes
  • Linking strategy and OKRs to delivery workflowsnot 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

Kanbanize

  • No per user price or minimum user count is published, despite the page being headed simple pricing
  • Automation rules are a paid add on on both plans, capped at 300 on Standard
  • SSO is a paid add on rather than included at either tier
  • File storage is 100 GB on Standard against 1 TB on Enterprise, and API calls are capped on Standard without the limit being stated
  • A dedicated cloud instance, IP whitelisting and 24/7 support are Enterprise only

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Kanbanize

On request
  • Team$149/month
    • 15 users
    • Unlimited boards
    • Kanban analytics
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • SSO
    • Advanced security

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 Kanbanize if

  • You need kanban boards.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want portfolio kanban.
Kanbanize review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Kanbanize better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Kanbanize at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Kanbanize?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and On request for Kanbanize.
Does Bear Notes or Kanbanize run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Kanbanize runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Yes. Bear Notes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kanbanize starts at On request.
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 Kanbanize is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Kanbanize cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Kanbanize covers Kanban boards, Portfolio Kanban, Workflow automation, Analytics.
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