Bear Alternatives

Bear is a Markdown-focused note app with cross-note links, hashtag tagging, powerful search, Focus Mode, iCloud sync, and multiple export options. Users appreciate its clean interface and Apple ecosystem integration, though some seek alternatives with stronger privacy features or cross-platform availability.

Obsidian leads as the top-ranked Bear alternative, extending Markdown note-taking with backlinks, bidirectional links, and graph view for mapping relationships between ideas. Standard Notes adds end-to-end encryption and encrypted backups for privacy-focused users, expanding beyond Bear's iCloud-style syncing. Notesnook focuses on private, encrypted notes with two-factor authentication and reminders for security-conscious users.

Bear alternatives range from local-first vault apps like Obsidian to encrypted sync-first tools like Standard Notes and Notesnook, giving users options across privacy levels and platform support.

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Open source choices like Zettlr suit users who prefer auditable code and community-driven development. Linux users have native desktop apps available through Standard Notes for workflows outside Windows and macOS.

For self-hosting, AFFiNE and Outline can run on your own infrastructure for complete data control. Markdown workflows remain portable with Obsidian keeping notes in plain-text format, while offline functionality works reliably with Anytype during travel or unreliable connections.

Cloud sync becomes essential for multi-device users, with Evernote and Notesnook both including syncing across devices. For WYSIWYG-style editing, Standard Notes, Notesnook, and Anytype all list WYSIWYG support among their notable features for users who prefer rich-text editing over raw Markdown.

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Alternatives list

  1. Inkdrop icon
     49 likes

    The note-taking app with robust Markdown editor, supporting macOS, Windows, and Linux. This app is designed to be the most convenient way to make notes in Markdown for your daily hacking.

    31 Inkdrop alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Google Chrome
    • Firefox
    • iPad
    • Android Tablet
     
  2. Widget-Board icon
     22 likes

    Widget Board is a productivity tool that lets you create custom boards with your favorite widgets such as tasks, notes, media, date & time, weather, calendar and so much more!.

    80 Widget-Board alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Google Chrome
    • Context Chrome Extension
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
  3. Notepack icon
     16 likes

    Privacy oriented, without vendor lock in note organizer, todo list desktop application. Work offline with text, markdown and pdf files.

    Cost / License

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  4. Crossnote icon
     16 likes

    Crossnote is probably the world's first markdown notes reader & editor Progressive Web Application that works offline and supports syncing with arbitrary git repository right inside your browser.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
     
  5. Quillpad icon
     16 likes

    Quillpad is a fork of an original app called Quillnote. The development stopped on the original app and PR backlogs were not cleared up. The community showed much interest in the app for continued development and so this fork was created.

    Cost / License

    Platforms

    • Android
    • F-Droid
     
  6. MyInfo icon
     40 likes

    MyInfo is a personal information manager for Windows. It will help you capture, organize, edit and share ideas, documents, tasks, and web pages.

    306 MyInfo alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  7. PrivateNotes icon
     10 likes

    PrivateNotes (formerly Exocortex) is an encrypted note-taking app designed for networked thought. It allows you to link ideas together, creating a web of interconnected notes that mimic how your mind works.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  8. Passfindr icon
     14 likes

    Passfindr is a web based premium Personal knowledge base, Password manager and Bookmark manager application to securely store passwords and other sensitive information in a virtual vault locked with individual master passwords.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
     
  9. Skribisto icon
     6 likes

    Skribisto is born from the ashes of Plume Creator , keeping the goals while adopting more recent ways to think an application.

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  10. Quiver icon
     43 likes

    Quiver is a notebook built for programmers. It lets you easily mix text, code and Markdown within one note, edit code with an awesome code editor, live preview Markdown and LaTeX cells, and find any note instantly via the full-text search.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
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