Bear
Replaceableeditor verdict · 0 votes
Markdown note-taking app for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Free version with local notes; Bear Pro adds iCloud sync, themes and extra exports.
A Markdown notes app with tags, search and export is a very accessible project. What Bear brings is the care of the Apple interface and iCloud sync. If you want notes on all your devices, an installable web app is enough, and you keep your files. To check: offline writing.
What you lose
- The polished interface on Mac, iPhone and iPad
- Bear Pro's iCloud sync
- Text search in PDFs and images (OCR)
- Extra themes and exports
Existing alternatives to Bear
- LogseqOpen source
Free note-taking (AGPL-3.0) in local files, with links between notes and a daily journal.
The prompt to build it yourself
Build me a simple Markdown notes app, on all my devices, to replace Bear. Stack: installable web app (PWA), Node or Next.js, SQLite. To do: - Markdown editor with preview; notes with nested tags (#project/idea) created by typing the #. - Fast full-text search, pinned notes, trash with restore. - Works offline (service worker) and syncs on reconnection without losing a note. - Export of one note or all as Markdown, PDF and HTML. - Simple authentication, daily backup; tests on sync; README with the limits. Out of scope: text recognition in images, collaborative sharing.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Bear be replaced by a custom-built tool?
- casevibecode verdict: Replaceable. A Markdown notes app with tags, search and export is a very accessible project. What Bear brings is the care of the Apple interface and iCloud sync. If you want notes on all your devices, an installable web app is enough, and you keep your files. To check: offline writing.
- What is Bear used for?
- Markdown note-taking app for Mac, iPhone and iPad. Free version with local notes; Bear Pro adds iCloud sync, themes and extra exports.
- What alternatives to Bear already exist?
- Logseq (open source). Options to compare before committing to a custom build.
Community feedback
Readers tell what they built instead of this tool, or what broke along the way. Every entry is reviewed before publication.
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