What each week held
Withheld: something was read in 1 week of the last 12. A series needs at least 2 to say anything a single reading does not.
What it declares
- Markdown editor
- iCloud sync across Apple devices
- Note encryption / Face-Touch ID lock
- OCR search in PDFs and images
- Tag-based organization
- Advanced export formats (PDF, HTML, DOCX, ePub)
- 20+ themes and app icons
- Note linking / WikiLinks
As the company’s own pages describe it. Forge did not test any of these.
What users raised
- Cost for plain-text notes
- Apple-ecosystem lock-in
- Privacy concerns
Themes people raised in public. A complaint is somebody’s opinion, not a measurement of the product.
Everything on record
5 observed claims. Newest first; the tag on each row is what kind of claim you are reading.
- COMPLAINTUSER OPINIONSep 30, 2026
Some users express concerns over privacy and Bear's heavy reliance on the Apple ecosystem, limiting cross-platform use.
Highlights Apple-exclusivity as a recurring limitation for non-Apple users
alternativeto.net/software/bear-writer/about - COMPLAINTUSER OPINIONSep 30, 2026
Some users criticize Bear's cost for what is essentially plain-text note-taking and note that better Mac alternatives exist.
First sighting of a pricing/value complaint theme; watch for repeat mentions
alternativeto.net/software/bear-writer/about - POSITIONINGCOMPANY CLAIMSep 30, 2026
Bear markets itself as "beautiful, powerfully simple" and private, emphasizing that notes are stored in plain text/markdown with no signup or account required to get started.
Baseline homepage/App Store positioning language
apps.apple.com/us/app/-/id1016366447 - PRODUCTCOMPANY CLAIMSep 30, 2026
Bear Pro includes iCloud sync across Apple devices, note encryption with Face/Touch ID lock, OCR search inside images and PDFs, export to HTML, DocX, PDF, JPG, and ePub, and over 30 themes and app icons.
Baseline feature set buyers compare against competitors like Obsidian, Notion, Apple Notes
apps.apple.com/us/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1091189122 - PRICINGFACTSep 30, 2026
Bear offers a free plan (local notes, basic editing, limited export, single device) and a Bear Pro plan priced at $2.99/month or $29.99/year, with a 14-day free trial.
Establishes baseline pricing for comparison against future changes
apps.apple.com/us/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1091189122
A record of what Forge read in public about Bear — its own pages and what people wrote about it. Nothing here is a test of the product, a ranking or a score, and Forge has no relationship with this company.