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Software · head to head

Bear Notes vs ProtoPie

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Software

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ProtoPie logo

ProtoPie

Software

Create advanced interactive prototypes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app; ProtoPie the free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and ProtoPie differ
AttributeBear NotesProtoPie
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWindows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android
Founded20152013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 ProtoPie

  • Interactive prototyping
  • Data binding
  • Advanced interactions
  • Animation
  • Collaboration
  • Cloud sharing
  • Device testing
  • Code export

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

ProtoPie

  • Building high fidelity interactive prototypes without codenot Bear Notes
  • Prototyping multi device and hardware interactionsnot Bear Notes
  • Sharing prototypes with stakeholders for testingnot 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

ProtoPie

  • The free plan allows 2 prototypes, 8 scenes per prototype and 50MB of cloud storage
  • Free prototypes carry a watermark and shareable links require the Basic plan
  • Saving prototypes locally requires the Pro plan
  • Team libraries and handoff recordings require the Pro plan
  • Basic caps storage at 500MB and prototypes at 20
  • Single sign on, private servers, custom fonts and custom hardware integrations are Enterprise only
  • Enterprise requires a minimum of 3 seats and is priced by quote
  • Connect Core is a paid add on at $20 per user per month

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

ProtoPie

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited prototypes
    • Cloud storage
    • Basic sharing
  • Professional$25/month
    • Unlimited prototypes
    • Advanced interactions
    • Collaboration
  • Enterprise$75/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Team features
    • Advanced security

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 ProtoPie if

  • You need interactive prototyping.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want data binding.
ProtoPie review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or ProtoPie better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and ProtoPie at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or ProtoPie?
Bear Notes starts at Free and ProtoPie at Free.
Does Bear Notes or ProtoPie run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. ProtoPie runs on Windows, Macos, Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Bear Notes for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ProtoPie is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that ProtoPie cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. ProtoPie covers Interactive prototyping, Data binding, Advanced interactions, Animation.
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