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Software · head to head

Bear Notes vs Paperpile

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Paperpile logo

Paperpile

Software

Reference management essentials

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; Paperpile sign-up is Chrome-only: the pricing page states you can only sign up for Paperpile on Chrome

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Paperpile differ
AttributeBear NotesPaperpile
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb
Founded2015Unknown

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 Paperpile

Nothing recorded that Bear Notes does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Paperpile

No use cases recorded yet. See the Paperpile review.

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

Paperpile

  • Sign-up is Chrome-only: the pricing page states you can only sign up for Paperpile on Chrome
  • All plans are billed annually with no monthly option, and multi-user licenses cannot mix Regular and Expert tiers

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Paperpile

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Paperpile review.

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 Paperpile if

Nothing in the data separates Paperpile from Bear Notes on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Paperpile review

Questions people ask

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