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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs OmniFocus 3

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OmniFocus 3 logo

OmniFocus 3

Productivity

Professional task management for complex workflows

From
$74.99/mo
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 3 apple platforms only apart from the web client: macOS 14, iOS or iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 or visionOS 2 and newer are required, with no Windows or Android app
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and OmniFocus 3 actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear Notes and OmniFocus 3 differ
AttributeBear NotesOmniFocus 3
Starting priceFree$74.99/mo
Pricing modelfreemiumone-time
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSMacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web
Founded20151993

Identical on both: 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 OmniFocus 3

  • GTD-based task organization
  • Projects and subprojects
  • Contexts and tags
  • Custom perspectives
  • Automation
  • Quick entry
  • Sync across devices
  • Deferred and due dates

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 3
  • Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot OmniFocus 3
  • Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot OmniFocus 3

OmniFocus 3

  • Getting Things Done style task and project management on Apple devicesnot Bear Notes
  • Capturing tasks with contexts, defer dates and review cyclesnot Bear Notes
  • Syncing a personal task database across Mac, iPhone, iPad and Watchnot 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 3

  • Apple platforms only apart from the web client: macOS 14, iOS or iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 or visionOS 2 and newer are required, with no Windows or Android app
  • Web access is not included with a perpetual licence and costs an extra $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year
  • The Pro perpetual licence costs $149.99 against $74.99 for Standard
  • Future major upgrades are a paid discount rather than free for perpetual licence holders
  • The $99.99 per year subscription is the only option that bundles Pro plus web access

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 3

$74.99/mo
  • Standard License$74.99/mo
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro access
    • All 4.x updates included
    • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Pro License$149.99/mo
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro access
    • All 4.x updates included
    • 30-day money-back guarantee
  • Subscription (all platforms + web)$99.99/year
    • Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, web access
    • All Pro features
  • Web-only Subscription$4.99/month
    • Web access only

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 3 if

  • You need gtd-based task organization.
  • You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
  • You also want projects and subprojects.
OmniFocus 3 review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or OmniFocus 3 better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and OmniFocus 3 at $74.99/mo, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or OmniFocus 3?
Bear Notes has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear Notes and $74.99/mo for OmniFocus 3.
Does Bear Notes or OmniFocus 3 run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. OmniFocus 3 runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Yes. Bear Notes has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. OmniFocus 3 starts at $74.99/mo.
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 3 is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that OmniFocus 3 cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. OmniFocus 3 covers GTD-based task organization, Projects and subprojects, Contexts and tags, Custom perspectives.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bear Notes: How much does Bear Pro cost per month or year?

Bear Pro costs $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. Annual subscribers receive a 15% discount compared to monthly pricing.

Source
OmniFocus 3: How much does OmniFocus cost?

OmniFocus offers perpetual licenses at $74.99 (Standard) or $149.99 (Pro) for one-time purchase, or subscriptions at $99.99/year for all platforms plus web, or $4.99/month for web-only access.

Source
Bear Notes: Does Bear offer a free trial before committing to a subscription?

Yes, Bear Pro includes a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
OmniFocus 3: Does OmniFocus offer a free trial?

OmniFocus includes a 14-day free trial for download, and a 30-day money-back guarantee applies to perpetual licenses.

Source
Bear Notes: What export formats are available with Bear Pro?

Bear Pro subscribers can export notes in multiple formats including TXT, Markdown, TextBundle, RTF, PDF, JPG, HTML, DOCX, and ePub.

Source
OmniFocus 3: What platforms does a single OmniFocus license cover?

A single OmniFocus perpetual license includes access across Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro.

Source
Bear Notes: Can I sync my notes across devices with the free Bear plan?

No, iCloud sync is only available with Bear Pro. The free plan allows local note access but does not support cloud synchronization across devices.

Source
Bear Notes: What features are included in the free Bear plan?

The free plan includes local note access, document scanning, limited export formats, 3 themes, and 1 app icon. PDF and image search requires Bear Pro.

Source
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