Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Reflect

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Reflect logo

Reflect

Productivity

Fast networked note-taking with AI

From
$10/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Reflect no free tier or free plan option
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear and Reflect actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear and Reflect differ
AttributeBearReflect
Starting priceFree$10/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: 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

Nothing recorded that Reflect does not also cover.

Only in Reflect

  • Bidirectional links
  • End-to-end encryption
  • AI assistant
  • Instant sync
  • Daily notes
  • Chrome extension
  • Calendar sync
  • Kindle highlights

What people use each for

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

Bear

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

Reflect

  • Productivitynot Bear
  • Collaborationnot Bear
  • Task managementnot Bear
  • Organizationnot 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

Reflect

  • No free tier or free plan option
  • Losing your password means permanent data loss with no recovery option
  • Shared notes are not end-to-end encrypted despite platform marketing encryption
  • AI features send your content to OpenAI servers (30-day retention)
  • Mobile apps have limited offline functionality compared to desktop

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

Reflect

$10/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Reflect review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bear if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bear review

Choose Reflect if

  • You need bidirectional links.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS.
  • You also want end-to-end encryption.
Reflect review

Questions people ask

Is Bear or Reflect better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at Free and Reflect at $10/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Reflect?
Bear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bear and $10/month for Reflect.
Does Bear or Reflect run on more platforms?
Bear runs on Web. Reflect runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS.
Can I use Bear for free?
Yes. Bear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Reflect starts at $10/month.
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 Reflect is typically brought in for.
What can Bear do that Reflect cannot?
Reflect covers Bidirectional links, End-to-end encryption, AI assistant, Instant sync.

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
Reflect: Is there a free tier?

No. Reflect offers only a 14-day free trial before requiring $10/month (billed annually). There is no free plan.

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
Reflect: Does Reflect work offline?

Yes, editing and note-taking work offline on desktop. Mobile apps have offline limitations compared to the desktop experience.

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

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

Source
Reflect: How secure is my data?

Reflect uses end-to-end encryption with XChaCha20-Poly1305. An independent audit by Doyensec found no vulnerabilities. However, audio for transcription and text sent to AI features are processed by OpenAI servers (retained 30 days per OpenAI policy).

Source
Reflect: Can I export my notes?

Yes. Reflect allows export of your notes, though the primary export method involves using their web and iOS apps with standard export capabilities.

Source
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