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.
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.
Interactive split-screen diagramming, draggable block-based note-taking, and brainstorming tool. Super charged productivity with seamless parallel streaming of ideas.
Knowledge-management tool enabling interconnection and note expansion, semantic network creation, collaboration with task features, and mobile readiness with offline support across devices.
Lattics is an all-in one knowledge management tool. It offers most of the things in Obsidian, Scrivener and Zotero together.
Octarine is a fast, lightweight tool for writing, planning, and organizing — in Markdown that stays yours.
Cubox is the app for collecting, reading and researching your daily information. With Cubox, you can effortlessly organize everything you've read without professional skills.
Antinote provides beautiful temporary notes, calculations, and custom calculators with lifetime updates. Features swipe navigation, plain text support, instant conversions including crypto, and one-click export functionality. Includes screenshot-to-text conversion, global hotkey access, and more.
Notedrafts is a powerful note-taking app that lets you write, draw, and organize your thoughts across different types of documents. Whether you're marking up a PDF, writing on a large canvas, or taking notes in a long vertical layout, Notedrafts adapts to your workflow.
Noto is a modern writing app. With delightful interactions, powerful editing tools, and a beautiful design, Noto helps you capture the best of your everyday life.
Collect your thoughts, think, write, brainstorm, and create the perfectly looking notes with this powerful, all-purpose, productivity tool.
Give your brain superpowers. Mirror the way your mind works by associating notes through backlinks. Reflect builds you a second brain that you can reference anytime. Frictionless thought capture, instant sync, end-to-end encryption and seamless recall make using Reflect natural.
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