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Bear Notes vs OmniFocus

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus logo

OmniFocus

Software

Professional-grade task management for power users

From
$99.99/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; OmniFocus exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and OmniFocus differ
AttributeBear NotesOmniFocus
Starting priceFree$99.99/year
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web
Founded20151989

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 OmniFocus

  • Custom perspectives
  • Review mode
  • Forecast view
  • Tags
  • Automation
  • Apple Calendar
  • Siri
  • Shortcuts

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

OmniFocus

  • Schedulingnot Bear Notes
  • Appointment bookingnot Bear Notes
  • Time trackingnot Bear Notes
  • Resource managementnot Bear Notes
  • Team coordinationnot 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

OmniFocus

  • Exclusive to Apple ecosystem with no Windows or Android support
  • No collaboration features make it unsuitable for team task management or delegation
  • Setting up repeating tasks is cumbersome with multiple configuration options
  • Lacks AI-powered features for advanced project management, load balancing, or contextual awareness

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

OmniFocus

$99.99/year
  • Subscription$99.99/year
    • All Pro features
    • Web access
    • Cloud sync
  • Standard (Perpetual)$74.99/one-time
    • Basic task management
    • Projects and contexts
    • Perspectives
  • Pro (Perpetual)$149.99/one-time
    • Custom perspectives
    • Advanced automation
    • Plugins support

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 OmniFocus if

  • You need custom perspectives.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
  • You also want review mode.
OmniFocus review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or OmniFocus better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and OmniFocus at $99.99/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or OmniFocus?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and $99.99/year for OmniFocus.
Does Bear Notes or OmniFocus run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. OmniFocus runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, Web.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Yes. Bear Notes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus starts at $99.99/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 OmniFocus is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that OmniFocus cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. OmniFocus covers Custom perspectives, Review mode, Forecast view, Tags.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

OmniFocus: Does OmniFocus offer a free tier?

No, OmniFocus does not offer a free tier. It requires purchase or subscription: $99.99/year subscription or one-time perpetual licenses at $74.99 (Standard) or $149.99 (Pro).

Source
OmniFocus: What is the free trial period for OmniFocus?

OmniFocus offers a 14-day free trial allowing full access to all features before requiring payment.

Source
OmniFocus: What platforms does OmniFocus support?

OmniFocus is exclusive to Apple ecosystem: Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, and web access. Not available on Windows or Android.

Source
OmniFocus: Can teams collaborate in OmniFocus?

No, OmniFocus lacks collaboration features and is designed as a solo task management tool. Users cannot delegate tasks, share projects, or assign work to team members.

Source
OmniFocus: Does OmniFocus support Getting Things Done (GTD) methodology?

Yes, OmniFocus is built specifically to support GTD with projects, contexts (tags), folders, perspectives, and a focus view for prioritization. It includes weekly review support and automation features.

Source
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