Software · head to head
Bear Notes vs OmniFocus 3
OmniFocus 3
Software
Professional task management for complex workflows
- From
- $39.99/year
- Rated
- -
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.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bear Notes and OmniFocus 3 actually diverge.
| Attribute | Bear Notes | OmniFocus 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $39.99/year |
| Pricing model | freemium | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web |
| Founded | 2015 | 1993 |
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 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
$39.99/year- Standard$39.99/year
- Mac and iOS apps
- Cloud sync
- Core features
- Pro$99.99/year
- Everything in Standard
- Advanced automation
- Perspective management
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.
Choose OmniFocus 3 if
- You need gtd-based task organization.
- You work on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS, Web.
- You also want projects and subprojects.
Questions people ask
- Is Bear Notes or OmniFocus 3 better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and OmniFocus 3 at $39.99/year, 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 $39.99/year 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 $39.99/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 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.