Software · head to head
Granola vs Bear Notes
Granola
Software
AI notepad that transcribes meetings and merges transcripts with user notes
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Granola free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded; Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Granola and Bear Notes actually diverge.
| Attribute | Granola | Bear Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS |
| Founded | Unknown | 2015 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), 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 Granola
Nothing recorded that Bear Notes does not also cover.
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
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Granola
- Automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-takernot Bear Notes
- Action item extraction and task assignmentnot Bear Notes
- Meeting context retrieval via AI agent queriesnot Bear Notes
- Multi-language meeting transcriptionnot Bear Notes
- Compliance-friendly note generation for regulated industriesnot Bear Notes
Bear Notes
- Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Granola
- Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Granola
- Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Granola
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Granola
Free- FreeFree
- Unlimited note-taking
- 30-day note retention
- No credit card required
- Premium$null/month
- Access and search notes older than 30 days
- Specific pricing not detailed on available pages
Bear Notes
Free- FreeFree
- Note creation and organization
- Tags
- Local sync
- Premium$1.99/month
- iCloud sync
- Themes
- Markdown export
Which should you pick?
Choose Granola if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Granola or Bear Notes better?
- Neither clearly leads. Granola starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Granola or Bear Notes?
- Granola starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free.
- Does Granola or Bear Notes run on more platforms?
- Granola runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams. Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
- Can I use Granola for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Granola best used for?
- Granola is most often used for automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-taker, action item extraction and task assignment, meeting context retrieval via ai agent queries, multi-language meeting transcription. Of those, automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-taker and action item extraction and task assignment are not what Bear Notes is typically brought in for.
- What can Granola do that Bear Notes cannot?
- Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support.
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