Bear
Joplin
| Feature | Bear | Joplin |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $2.99/mo | Free / from $2.99/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | writers, note-takers, students, apple-users | privacy-advocates, developers, linux-users, evernote-migrants |
| Founded | 2016 | 2017 |
| Markdown Editor | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nested Tags | ✓ | ✗ |
| Focus Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Export Formats | ✓ | ✗ |
| Themes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cross Note Linking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sync | ✗ | ✓ |
| Web Clipper | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Notebooks | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Bear Pros
- Gorgeous design
- Flexible tag system
- Supports Markdown
- Very affordable Pro plan
✗ Bear Cons
- Apple only (no Windows/Android)
- Limited collaboration
- No web version
✓ Joplin Pros
- Free and open-source
- End-to-end encryption
- Self-host option
- Import from Evernote
✗ Joplin Cons
- Less polished UI
- Sync requires setup
- Limited collaboration
The Verdict
Bear is built for writers and note takers, with a focus on markdown-editor and nested-tags. Joplin targets privacy advocates and developers and leads with markdown and encryption.
Both tools come in at similar price points ($2.99/mo for Bear, $2.99/mo for Joplin), so pricing won't make the decision for you.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Bear edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Bottom line: Bear has a slight overall edge — but if free and open-source matters most to you, Joplin may still be the right call.