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Productivity · head to head

Bear Notes vs Xmind

Bear Notes logo

Bear Notes

Productivity

Beautiful note-taking app for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xmind logo

Xmind

Productivity

For anyone to explore classic and essential mind mapping features to organize their ideas easily

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; Xmind free plan limited to 10 maps
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear Notes and Xmind differ
AttributeBear NotesXmind
PlatformsMacOS, IOS, IPadOSWeb
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 Xmind

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

Xmind

  • Team mind mapping and brainstormingnot Bear Notes
  • Project management with Gantt chartsnot Bear Notes
  • Real-time collaborative planningnot 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

Xmind

  • Free plan limited to 10 maps
  • 7-day free trial only available for annual Premium subscriptions, not monthly
  • Pro plan limits collaboration to 50 maps

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear Notes

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

Xmind

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 online maps
    • Basic themes and stickers
    • 3-day version history
  • Pro$4.92/month
    • Up to 50 online maps with basic collaboration
    • Links, numbering, and attachments
    • Custom themes
  • Premium$8.25/month
    • Unlimited collaborative maps
    • Real-time collaboration
    • 30-day version history

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 Xmind if

  • You want to start without paying.
Xmind review

Questions people ask

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

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
Xmind: Can I use XMind free?

Yes, free plan includes up to 10 online maps, basic themes, 3-day version history, map publishing, and 50 AI credits.

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
Xmind: How much is the Premium plan monthly?

Premium plan is $8.25 per month with unlimited collaborative maps and 500 monthly AI credits.

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
Xmind: Does yearly billing save money?

Yes, yearly billing offers up to 50% off compared to monthly pricing on all paid plans.

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
Xmind: How many devices can one subscription cover?

One subscription covers up to 5 Mac/PC devices and 5 mobile devices simultaneously.

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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