Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Granola

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Granola logo

Granola

Productivity

AI notepad that transcribes meetings and merges transcripts with user notes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Granola free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 28 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear and Granola actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear and Granola differ
AttributeBearGranola
PlatformsWebmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What people use each for

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

Bear

  • Note-taking with document scanningnot Granola
  • Cross-device note synchronizationnot Granola

Granola

  • Automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-takernot Bear
  • Action item extraction and task assignmentnot Bear
  • Meeting context retrieval via AI agent queriesnot Bear
  • Multi-language meeting transcriptionnot Bear
  • Compliance-friendly note generation for regulated industriesnot Bear

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bear

  • Built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client
  • Free tier is limited to 3 themes, 1 app icon and restricted export formats; iCloud sync requires Bear Pro
  • Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year after a 7 day free trial

Granola

  • Free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Premium pricing not published on main website; requires account signup or sales contact
  • Requires local computer audio; not suitable for purely phone-based calls via traditional phone lines
  • Note retention limits may affect long-term project documentation

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Local note access
    • Document scanning
    • PDF, image, text, markdown, HTML, DOCX, ePub export
  • Pro$2.99/month
    • All free features plus 28+ themes
    • 15 app icons
    • PDF and image search across notes
  • Pro$29.99/year
    • All free features plus 28+ themes
    • 15 app icons
    • PDF and image search across notes

Granola

Free
  • BasicFree
    • AI meeting notes with limited history
    • AI chat and shared folders
    • Customized templates
  • Business$14/month
    • Unlimited meeting notes and history
    • Advanced AI models
    • Integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot
  • Enterprise$35/month
    • Everything in Business plus
    • Enterprise security features
    • Single sign-on (SSO)

Which should you pick?

Choose Bear if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bear review

Choose Granola if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Granola review

Questions people ask

Is Bear or Granola better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at Free and Granola at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Granola?
Bear starts at Free and Granola at Free.
Does Bear or Granola run on more platforms?
Bear runs on Web. Granola runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Can I use Bear for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bear best used for?
Bear is most often used for note-taking with document scanning, cross-device note synchronization. Of those, note-taking with document scanning and cross-device note synchronization are not what Granola is typically brought in for.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bear: Does Bear offer a free plan?

Yes, Bear has a free plan with local note access, document scanning, and export to multiple formats, but without iCloud sync or PDF/image search.

Source
Granola: What is Granola's pricing model?

Granola offers a freemium model with a free Basic tier, Business tier at 14 USD per user per month, and Enterprise tier at 35 USD per user per month.

Source
Bear: How much does Bear Pro cost?

Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The yearly plan offers approximately 15% savings compared to monthly billing.

Source
Granola: What features are included in the free tier?

The free Basic tier includes AI meeting notes with limited history, AI chat, shared folders, customized templates, and multi-language support.

Source
Bear: Is there a free trial for Bear Pro?

Yes, Bear Pro includes a 7-day free trial before charging begins.

Source
Granola: What integrations does Granola support?

Granola Business tier and above support integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot, and includes API access with MCP integration capabilities.

Source
Granola: What enterprise security features are included?

Enterprise tier includes single sign-on (SSO), priority support, admin controls, org-wide data deletion policies, and enterprise-grade security features.

Source
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