Productivity · head to head
Bear Notes vs Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365
Productivity
Productivity apps with built-in AI, security and cloud storage in one plan
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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; Microsoft 365 free web tier caps storage at 5GB; Basic tier is $1.99/month for only 100GB
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and Microsoft 365 actually diverge.
| Attribute | Bear Notes | Microsoft 365 |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS | Web |
| Founded | 2015 | Unknown |
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 Microsoft 365
Nothing recorded that Bear Notes does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bear Notes
- Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Microsoft 365
- Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Microsoft 365
- Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365
No use cases recorded yet. See the Microsoft 365 review.
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
Microsoft 365
- Free web tier caps storage at 5GB; Basic tier is $1.99/month for only 100GB
- Family plan tops out at 6 people and AI features cannot be shared across family members even on paid plans
Pricing, plan by plan
Bear Notes
Free- FreeFree
- Note creation and organization
- Tags
- Local sync
- Premium$1.99/month
- iCloud sync
- Themes
- Markdown export
Microsoft 365
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft 365 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.
Questions people ask
- Is Bear Notes or Microsoft 365 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Microsoft 365 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Microsoft 365?
- Bear Notes starts at Free and Microsoft 365 at Free.
- Does Bear Notes or Microsoft 365 run on more platforms?
- Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Microsoft 365 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 Microsoft 365 is typically brought in for.
- What can Bear Notes do that Microsoft 365 cannot?
- Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support.