4.8
Your notes as Markdown files you own.
Markdown notes on Apple devices with tags instead of folders.
Best for typed notes and essays on iphone, ipad, and mac
Reviewed 16 September 2026 · Prices checked the same day
4.6
22K reviews
Bear is a Markdown editor with a pretty preview, hashtags, and wiki-style links. The free app covers writing. Bear Pro is $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year through the App Store, with a 14-day trial, and one subscription covers devices on the same Apple ID. Prices checked 21 September 2026.
There is no Windows or Android client. If your notes have to follow a campus PC, this is a dead end. Handwriting is not the job. Use it for reading notes and drafts, not lecture ink.
Pricing
freemium
Bear Pro $2.99/mo or $29.99/yr, 14-day trial
Free version
Writing and basic notes. Sync and extra themes sit in Pro.
Platforms
iPhone · iPad · macOS
Quiet and focused. Students who write more than they draw stay. Students who need a lecture pad leave for Goodnotes in week one.
Checked 2026-09-21
| Model | Freemium |
|---|---|
| What free actually includes | Writing and basic notes. Sync and extra themes sit in Pro. |
| Cheapest paid tier | Bear Pro $2.99/mo or $29.99/yr, 14-day trial |
| Student pricing | None published |
Links from StudyApps include ref=studyapps.
Writing and basic notes. Sync and extra themes sit in Pro. Checked 16 September 2026.
Cheapest paid plan: Bear Pro $2.99/mo or $29.99/yr, 14-day trial. Prices checked 16 September 2026.
Typed notes and essays on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
Apple-only
Your notes as Markdown files you own.
Pretty documents and wikis that start free, then hit a block ceiling.
The notebook already on every iPhone and iPad, with no extra bill.