Bear vs iA Writer
Bear: Apple-only notes app with flexible tags and Markdown formatting. iA Writer: Focused writing app for long-form text, sold per platform with no subscription.
| Bear | iA Writer | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier, Pro $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year | One-time: $49.99 Mac, $29.99 Windows, $49.99 iPhone and iPad |
| Free option | Free tier with local notes and some exports; iCloud sync and OCR search need Pro | 7 day trial on Mac and Windows, no credit card needed |
| License | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPadOS | macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS |
| Notes stored as | Bear app library, iCloud sync with Bear Pro | Plain text files |
Choose Bear if
- you all your devices are Apple devices
- you want a polished notes app with tags
- you do not need Windows or Linux
Strengths
- Tags with icons and nested organization instead of folders
- Exports to Markdown, PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub and more
- Inline sketching and OCR search in photos and PDFs (Pro)
Limits
- Apple devices only
- iCloud sync requires Bear Pro
Pricing details
- Pro: $2.99 per month after a 7 day trial, or $29.99 per year, as listed on bear.app
Choose iA Writer if
- you mostly write long-form text and want few distractions
- you want to pay once instead of subscribing
- you use Apple devices and Windows
Strengths
- Writing-focused interface for long documents
- One-time price with no subscription
- Apps for Mac, Windows, iPhone and iPad
Limits
- No Linux or Android app
- Each platform is purchased separately
- Major updates may cost extra
Pricing details
- Mac $49.99, Windows $29.99, iPhone and iPad $49.99, per the iA pricing page
- The vendor says subscriptions are not available; minor updates are free and major updates may cost extra
- 20% education discount on Mac and Windows when bought directly
Bear
Apple-only notes app with flexible tags and Markdown formatting.
Proprietary
- Price: Free tier, Pro $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year
- Platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS
- Storage: Bear app library, iCloud sync with Bear Pro
iA Writer
Focused writing app for long-form text, sold per platform with no subscription.
Proprietary
- Price: One-time: $49.99 Mac, $29.99 Windows, $49.99 iPhone and iPad
- Platforms: macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS
- Storage: Plain text files
Details come from each vendor's own website and were checked on 2026-10-18. Confirm current prices on the vendor page.