Productivity · head to head
Microsoft 365 vs Bear Notes
Microsoft 365
Productivity
Productivity apps with built-in AI, security and cloud storage in one plan
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft 365 free web tier caps storage at 5GB; Basic tier is $1.99/month for only 100GB; 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 Microsoft 365 and Bear Notes actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft 365 | Bear Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS |
| Founded | Unknown | 2015 |
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 Microsoft 365
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.
Microsoft 365
No use cases recorded yet. See the Microsoft 365 review.
Bear Notes
- Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Microsoft 365
- Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Microsoft 365
- Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Microsoft 365
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft 365
- Free web tier caps storage at 5GB; Basic tier is $1.99/month for only 100GB
- Family plan tops out at 6 people and AI features cannot be shared across family members even on paid plans
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
Microsoft 365
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft 365 review.
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 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 Microsoft 365 or Bear Notes better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft 365 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, Microsoft 365 or Bear Notes?
- Microsoft 365 starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free.
- Does Microsoft 365 or Bear Notes run on more platforms?
- Microsoft 365 runs on Web. Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
- Can I use Microsoft 365 for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What can Microsoft 365 do that Bear Notes cannot?
- Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Rich text formatting, Image support.