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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Remote

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Remote logo

Remote

Payroll & Benefits

The new standard for global employment

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; Remote employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • They diverge on capability: Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Remote covers Global Payroll.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Remote differ
AttributeBear NotesRemote
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryProductivityPayroll & Benefits
Founded20152019

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Remote

  • Global Payroll
  • EOR Services
  • Contractor Management
  • Compliance
  • Benefits
  • Equity Management
  • HRIS
  • BambooHR

What people use each for

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

Bear Notes

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

Remote

  • Employing staff in countries where you have no legal entity through an employer of recordnot Bear Notes
  • Paying and managing international contractors with compliant agreementsnot Bear Notes
  • Running payroll and HR records for a distributed workforcenot 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

Remote

  • Employer of Record costs $699 per employee per month, charged per head with no volume tier published
  • Global Payroll carries an implementation fee to set up entities plus a recurring payroll delivery fee on top of the $29 per employee per month rate
  • Contractor Management Plus is $99 per contractor per month against $29 for the standard tier
  • The Equity product is limited to Delaware C-Corps
  • The PEO product bills in USD only and requires a US bank account
  • Remote states it collects reserve payments in high risk circumstances, so an upfront deposit is possible

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Remote

Free
  • Contractor Management$29/month
    • Contractor Payments
    • Compliance
    • Contracts
  • Employer of Record$599/month
    • Global Employment
    • Payroll
    • Benefits

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 Remote if

  • You need global payroll.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want eor services.
Remote review

Questions people ask

Is Bear Notes or Remote better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear Notes starts at Free and Remote at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear Notes or Remote?
Bear Notes starts at Free and Remote at Free.
Does Bear Notes or Remote run on more platforms?
Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS. Remote runs on 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 Remote is typically brought in for.
What can Bear Notes do that Remote cannot?
Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support. Remote covers Global Payroll, EOR Services, Contractor Management, Compliance.
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