Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Loom

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Loom logo

Loom

All industries

Record instantly, share anywhere

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; Loom free tier capped at 25 total videos with 5-minute maximum recording length per video
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Loom covers Screen & camera recording.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Loom differ
AttributeBear NotesLoom
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb
CategoryProductivityAll industries

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2015).

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 Loom

  • Screen & camera recording
  • Instant sharing
  • Video editing
  • Viewer analytics
  • Comments & reactions
  • Transcription
  • Custom CTAs
  • Drawing tools

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Loom

  • Asynchronous video communication and screen recordingnot Bear Notes
  • Product demonstrations and tutorialsnot Bear Notes
  • Meeting transcription and documentationnot Bear Notes
  • Team communication and knowledge sharingnot 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

Loom

  • Free tier capped at 25 total videos with 5-minute maximum recording length per video
  • Free tier limited to 50 workspace members
  • AI features (auto-meeting recaps, auto-notes, auto-editing) only available on paid Business+AI and Enterprise tiers
  • Video branding (Loom logo) appears on free and Business plan videos; only removed on Business+AI tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Loom

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Loom review.

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 Loom if

  • You need screen & camera recording.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want instant sharing.
Loom review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Loom better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Loom at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Loom?
Bear Notes starts at Free and Loom at Free.
Does Bear Notes or Loom run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Loom runs on Web.
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 Loom is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Loom cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Loom covers Screen & camera recording, Instant sharing, Video editing, Viewer analytics.
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