Productivity · head to head
Microsoft OneNote vs Bear Notes
Microsoft OneNote
Productivity
Free digital note-taking application for all devices
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Microsoft OneNote full-featured OneNote requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription (from $9.99 per month for Personal); the standalone free version is web and mobile only; Bear Notes apple only: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no Windows, Android or web app
- They diverge on capability: Microsoft OneNote covers Digital notebook with sections and pages, Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Microsoft OneNote and Bear Notes actually diverge.
| Attribute | Microsoft OneNote | Bear Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows | MacOS, IOS, IPadOS |
| Founded | 1975 | 2015 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 OneNote
- Digital notebook with sections and pages
- Drawing and handwriting
- Image and file attachments
- Web clipper
- Cross-platform sync
- Collaboration and sharing
- Search functionality
Only in Bear Notes
- Markdown-based notes
- Powerful tag system
- Image support
- iCloud sync
- Dark and light themes
- Encryption support
- Backup and restore
Both cover
- Rich text formatting
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Microsoft OneNote
- Productivitynot Bear Notes
- Collaborationnot Bear Notes
- Task managementnot Bear Notes
- Organizationnot Bear Notes
Bear Notes
- Markdown note taking on Apple devicesnot Microsoft OneNote
- Organising notes with nested hashtags rather than foldersnot Microsoft OneNote
- Exporting notes to PDF, DOCX, HTML or ePubnot Microsoft OneNote
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Microsoft OneNote
- Full-featured OneNote requires a paid Microsoft 365 subscription (from $9.99 per month for Personal); the standalone free version is web and mobile only
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 OneNote
Free- OneNoteFree
- Unlimited free notes
- Cross-device sync
- Collaboration
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 Microsoft OneNote if
- You need digital notebook with sections and pages.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
- You also want drawing and handwriting.
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 OneNote or Bear Notes better?
- Neither clearly leads. Microsoft OneNote 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 OneNote or Bear Notes?
- Microsoft OneNote starts at Free and Bear Notes at Free.
- Does Microsoft OneNote or Bear Notes run on more platforms?
- Microsoft OneNote runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows. Bear Notes runs on MacOS, IOS, IPadOS.
- Can I use Microsoft OneNote for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Microsoft OneNote best used for?
- Microsoft OneNote is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what Bear Notes is typically brought in for.
- What can Microsoft OneNote do that Bear Notes cannot?
- Microsoft OneNote covers Digital notebook with sections and pages, Drawing and handwriting, Image and file attachments, Web clipper. Bear Notes covers Markdown-based notes, Powerful tag system, Image support, iCloud sync. Both handle Rich text formatting.