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Bear Notes vs Norton 360

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Norton 360 logo

Norton 360

Software

Powerful protection against evolving threats

From
$36/year
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; Norton 360 device limit of 3 devices on Standard plan; higher tiers needed for family with multiple devices
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Norton 360 covers Real-time threat protection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and Norton 360 actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and Norton 360 differ
AttributeBear NotesNorton 360
Starting priceFree$36/year
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWindows, macOS, Android, iOS
Founded20151982

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 Norton 360

  • Real-time threat protection
  • Ransomware protection
  • Firewall
  • Password Manager
  • Secure VPN
  • Cloud backup
  • Dark Web Monitoring
  • Parental Controls

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

  • Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Norton 360
  • Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Norton 360
  • Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Norton 360

Norton 360

  • Antivirusnot Bear Notes
  • Internet Securitynot Bear Notes
  • Identity Protectionnot 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

Norton 360

  • Device limit of 3 devices on Standard plan; higher tiers needed for family with multiple devices
  • Parental controls unavailable on Standard plan, requiring purchase of separate Norton Family app
  • No HIPAA compliance or BAA support for regulated industries
  • Exploit Prevention works only on Windows devices, not available for macOS
  • Limited account recovery options if master password is forgotten

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Norton 360

$36/year
  • Norton 360 Standard$36/year
    • Antivirus and malware protection
    • VPN
    • Dark web monitoring
  • Norton 360 Deluxe$49.99/year
    • All Standard features
    • 50 GB cloud backup
    • Parental controls
  • Norton 360 Premium$54.99/year
    • All Deluxe features
    • 250 GB cloud backup
    • LifeLock identity theft protection

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 Norton 360 if

  • You need real-time threat protection.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
  • You also want ransomware protection.
Norton 360 review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Norton 360 better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Norton 360 at $36/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Norton 360?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and $36/year for Norton 360.
Does Bear Notes or Norton 360 run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Norton 360 runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Yes. Bear Notes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Norton 360 starts at $36/year.
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 Norton 360 is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Norton 360 cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Norton 360 covers Real-time threat protection, Ransomware protection, Firewall, Password Manager.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Norton 360: What operating systems does Norton 360 Standard support?

Windows 7 SP1 through Windows 11, macOS 10.13 and later, Android 10.0 or later, and current plus two previous iOS versions. Not all features are available on all platforms.

Source
Norton 360: How much cloud backup storage is included in Norton 360 Standard?

2 GB of cloud backup storage is included with Norton 360 Standard. Higher tiers offer 50 GB (Deluxe) and 250 GB (Premium).

Source
Norton 360: Does Norton 360 include a VPN?

Yes. All Norton 360 plans include a VPN for secure browsing. The VPN is available on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

Source
Norton 360: Is Norton 360 HIPAA compliant?

No. Norton 360 does not offer HIPAA compliance or Business Associate Agreements (BAA), making it unsuitable for healthcare organizations handling protected health information (PHI).

Source
Norton 360: What is the renewal price after the first year?

First year pricing is discounted. Standard renews at 94.99 USD per year, Deluxe at 119.99 USD per year. This represents a 140% increase over Deluxe's first-year rate of 49.99 USD.

Source
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