Your comparison workspace. Put two or three tools from the same category side by side.
We selected a compatible alternative from this category. You can change either choice above.
Prices & plans Features and limits Worth a second opinion? Send this page to someone choosing their next tool.
SOFTWARE SIGNAL Joplin vs Bear www.softwaresignal.net
This link keeps the apps and table currently displayed. Apply any changed selections before sharing.
Open-source notes with a choice of sync service
Markdown writing for Apple devices
Prices & plans Published prices keep their original currency and billing terms. Taxes, promotions and checkout prices can differ.
Local app Free
Free open-source application
Availability Global
Optional external storage may have its own cost.
Source Cloud Basic — monthly EUR 2.99/month
Monthly subscription
Availability EUR public list price
2 GB and 10 MB per note or attachment.
Source Cloud Basic — annual EUR 28.69/year
Annual subscription
Availability EUR public list price
Vendor's explicit annual total; do not calculate it from the rounded monthly equivalent.
Source Cloud Pro — monthly EUR 5.99/month
Monthly subscription
Availability EUR public list price
30 GB and 200 MB per note or attachment.
Source Cloud Pro — annual EUR 57.48/year
Annual subscription
Availability EUR public list price
Includes creating shared notebooks.
Source Free Free
No subscription charge
Availability Global Apple App Store availability
Local notes with TXT, Markdown, TextBundle and RTF export.
Source 1 Source 2 Pro — monthly USD 2.99/month
App Store recurring subscription
Availability US base price
One subscription across devices with the same Apple ID. Local prices and taxes vary.
Source Pro — annual USD 29.99/year
App Store yearly subscription
Availability US base price
7-day trial is documented. Introductory promotions are not assumed to be renewal prices.
Source Features and limits Row headings group related topics. Each answer keeps its specific scope. An unverified answer means we do not have enough evidence.
Joplin Devices
Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android; Cloud plans also include a web app.
Bear Devices
Native Mac, iPhone and iPad apps plus a limited browser beta; no native Windows or Android version.
Offline use Joplin Offline access
The app keeps notes locally and is designed for offline use.
Bear Offline access
Native apps support local notes offline. The web privacy page says notes are not stored locally in the browser.
Sync Joplin Sync choices
Joplin Cloud, Nextcloud, S3, WebDAV, Dropbox, OneDrive and local filesystem are supported.
Bear Sync
Pro synchronizes through Apple CloudKit using the same Apple ID.
Privacy and storage Joplin Encryption
End-to-end encryption is supported but must first be enabled on one device and synchronized to the others.
Bear Note encryption
Pro can encrypt individual notes; their password cannot be reset by Bear and titles may remain visible.
Collaboration Joplin Notebook sharing
Cloud Basic can join another user's shared notebook. Pro or above can create a notebook share.
Bear Live collaboration
A shared live editing workflow was not established from the reviewed official sources.
Sharing exported notes and syncing one person's devices do not establish multi-person co-editing.
Export Joplin Export
JEX preserves notes and metadata for Joplin restores; HTML and PDF exports are also documented.
Bear Export
Free exports TXT, Markdown, TextBundle, Bear Note and RTF. Pro adds HTML, DOCX, PDF, JPG and ePub.
Project portability Joplin Evernote import
ENEX imports notes and resources; complex formatting and some inter-note links may need repair.
Bear Obsidian import
The Mac importer brings in vault notes and local attachments. Remote HTTP assets and plugin-generated tags are not imported automatically.
Free plan limits Joplin Free app
The local application is free and open source; Joplin Cloud is optional.
Bear Free plan
Local editing and basic export are free; official cross-device iCloud sync is a Pro feature.
Local OCR Joplin Local OCR
Desktop processes PNG, JPEG and PDF text offline. OCR results can sync to mobile; handwriting is not supported.
Bear Not yet verified for this product.
AI features Joplin AI
Joplin Cloud plans list an AI chat beta for desktop. It is distinct from the core local editor.
Bear Optional AI connection
Bear 2.8+ on Mac offers a CLI, Claude Connector and MCP server. These require opt-in and cannot read encrypted note content.
Browser and ADP Joplin Not yet verified for this product.
Bear Browser and ADP
Official pages disagree on whether Bear Web works with Advanced Data Protection enabled.
The web FAQ says ADP prevents use. The privacy page documents ADP login with two-factor authentication. Do not switch security settings based on this comparison.
This workspace aligns existing research. It does not declare a winner or treat missing evidence as a missing feature. Read the methodology .
