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Software · head to head

Bear Notes vs Nifty

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nifty logo

Nifty

Software

The operating system for your workflow

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; Nifty the free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Nifty covers Tasks.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Nifty differ
AttributeBear NotesNifty
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20152017

Identical on both: pricing model (freemium), 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 Nifty

  • Tasks
  • Milestones
  • Docs
  • Chat
  • Time tracking
  • Slack
  • Google Workspace
  • Zoom

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Nifty

  • Project management with milestones, docs and team chat in one workspacenot Bear Notes
  • Tracking client projects with guest access and time trackingnot 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

Nifty

  • The free plan allows 100 MB of storage and 2 active projects
  • The standard plans are flat monthly fees with hard member caps, at 20 on Pro and 50 on Business, so the 21st member forces a jump from $79 to $124 a month
  • Active projects are capped at 100 on Pro despite the flat fee
  • Time tracking, custom fields and workflow automations all require the Pro plan
  • Microsoft SSO is Business only and SAML is Unlimited only, at $399 a month
  • White labelling and IP restriction are Unlimited 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

Nifty

On request
  • FreeFree
    • 2 projects
    • Basic features
  • Starter$5/month
    • 40 projects
    • Roadmaps
    • Time tracking

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 Nifty if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want milestones.
Nifty review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Nifty better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Nifty at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Nifty?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and On request for Nifty.
Does Bear Notes or Nifty run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Nifty 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. Nifty 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 Nifty is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Nifty cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Nifty covers Tasks, Milestones, Docs, Chat.
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