TL;DR
Bear vs Craft: Bear is the better buy for solo Apple writers who want Markdown, tags, and Pro sync near $30/year. Craft is the better buy when documents need structure, sharing, and a web client that non-Markdown teammates can open. Neither replaces a full Notion-style database suite; they compete as personal and small-team note surfaces with different shapes. Match the app to export habits and collaboration needs, not to which landing page looks calmer.
Which is better: Bear or Craft?
Bear and Craft are both notes on a Mac, so the pick depends on workflow. Buy Bear Pro for personal writing across Apple devices. Buy Craft Plus (or Family/Team) when documents must be structured, shared, and presented. Keep Apple. As of September 2026, both install with brew install --cask bear and brew install --cask craft.
Bear vs Craft
Which is the better notes for Mac in 2026?
We compared Bear and Craft across 6 key factors including price, open-source status, and community adoption. Read our full breakdown below.
Bear
Beautiful and flexible Markdown writing app for notes and long-form writing on Mac.
Craft
Native document editor
Our Verdict
Bear is the better buy for solo Apple writers who want Markdown, tags, and Pro sync near $30/year. Craft is the better buy when documents need structure, sharing, and a web client that non-Markdown teammates can open. Neither replaces a full Notion-style database suite; they compete as personal and small-team note surfaces with different shapes. Match the app to export habits and collaboration needs, not to which landing page looks calmer.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Bear | Craft |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid | Free |
| Open Source | No | No |
| Replaces | — | Ulysses ($39.99/year) |
| Best for | notes, markdown, writing | notes, documents, writing |
| Install | brew install --cask bear | brew install --cask craft |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
Quick Install
brew install --cask bearbrew install --cask craftLearn More
In-Depth Overview
What is Bear?
Bear is Shiny Frog's Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, with a public-beta web companion. In August 2026 it remains freemium: the free tier covers local notes, document scanning, and partial export/theme options; Bear Pro unlocks iCloud sync across devices, note encryption and lock, full advanced exports (PDF, HTML, DOCX, JPG, and more), 28+ themes, extra icons, and OCR search inside PDFs and images. Pricing on bear.app is $2.99/month or $29.99/year after a 7-day trial, one subscription per Apple ID. There is no native Android or Windows app by design. Bear 2.x continues as a polished line rather than a flashy rebrand. Organization is tags-first with nested tags, not heavy folder trees. It competes with Apple Notes, Craft, Obsidian, Notion, and other writing-first tools by staying opinionated: beauty and speed over plugins and multiplayer databases.
What is Craft?
Craft is a native-feeling notes and documents app for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and web that emphasizes block-based writing, fast sync, and shareable docs. As of August 2026 Craft Docs still offers Starter/Free (up to 1,500 content blocks, 1 GB storage, ~25 MB media uploads, 7-day version history, limited AI credits), Plus ($10/month or $96/year), Family ($18/month or $180/year for multiple Plus-class seats in a shared space), and Team ($60/month or $600/year class packaging for larger shared work). Plus raises history to 30 days, expands storage/AI (about 50 credits/month with Core/Fast/Max assistant models per help matrices), and removes the casual-use content ceiling. Craft sits between Apple Notes simplicity and Notion complexity: cards, pages, and gorgeous presentation without forcing spreadsheet brains. Education and Setapp availability continue for some users. On macOS Tahoe 26.x the Mac client remains a first-class surface.
Detailed Feature Comparison
Writing Experience & Editor
CriticalBear's Markdown-native editor is still one of the most pleasant on Apple platforms, inline styles, tables, todos, photos, sketches, and focus-friendly typography. Folding headings and tag-based filing keep long notes manageable without turning writing into database admin. It feels like a writer's tool first.
Craft's block editor shines for structured documents: pages, cards, boards-like layouts, and presentation-ready formatting. It is slightly more "doc product" than "plain Markdown notebook," which helps proposals and handbooks but can feel heavier for pure journal capture.
Verdict: Bear edges pure writing joy; Craft edges structured document composition.
Organization & Linking
HighNested tags, pinned tags, icons, and wiki-style links cover personal knowledge without graph plugins. Power users build sophisticated taxonomies; others just tag #work/#ideas and move on. No community plugin marketplace.
Collections of pages, spaces, and rich linking/navigation suit handbooks and project docs. Shared spaces on Family/Team plans turn organization into collaboration structure, not only personal filing.
Verdict: Craft wins when notes must become navigable shared documents; Bear wins lightweight personal tagging.
Sync & Platforms
CriticalPro iCloud sync is reliable for Apple-only fleets. Free tier is effectively single-device local. Web is beta and still Pro-oriented for real multi-surface use. No Android/Windows.
Mac, iOS, iPad, and web sync is a core product promise even on Free (with limits). Better when you occasionally open docs off an iPhone or share to stakeholders without Apple hardware.
Verdict: Craft's web + multi-surface story beats Bear's Apple-only Pro sync model.
Collaboration & Sharing
HighExport and share individual notes well; it is not a multiplayer workspace. Fine for sending a PDF or link-like share flows, weak for co-editing team wikis.
Sharing, permissions-oriented doc workflows, Family/Team spaces, and polished publish/export paths are major reasons people pay for Plus. Better for client-ready docs.
Verdict: Craft is the collaboration and presentation winner.
AI Features (2026)
MediumBear stays focused on writing craft; it is not marketing itself as an AI workspace in the same way doc suites do. OCR search on Pro is the practical intelligence feature most owners use daily.
Craft's AI assistant credits (limited on Free, higher on Plus with Core/Fast/Max model tiers per plan tables) help rewrite, summarize, and draft inside docs. Not a full agent platform, but more AI surface than Bear.
Verdict: Craft leads on built-in AI assist; Bear leads on non-AI writing focus.
Privacy, Encryption & Locking
HighPro encryption/lock plus iCloud and Advanced Data Protection messaging match privacy-conscious Apple users. Local-first free use keeps notes on-device if you never enable sync.
Craft is cloud-synced by product nature with standard modern account security. Strong enough for most personal and small-team docs; different philosophy than local Markdown folders or encrypted note locks as a headline feature.
Verdict: Bear's Pro lock/encryption story is clearer for private personal notes.
Pricing & Value
HighFree local use + $29.99/year Pro is outstanding value for Apple writers. One subscription covers all devices on the Apple ID.
Free tier is genuinely useful with a block cap. Plus at $96/year is roughly 3× Bear Pro annually, justified if you use sharing, higher limits, and AI. Overkill if you only need a beautiful diary.
Verdict: Bear wins price-to-delight for individuals; Craft's higher price tracks doc/collaboration scope.
Export & Longevity
MediumPro exports to many formats; Markdown/TextBundle paths help migration. Still a database-backed app, so exports matter for long-term portability.
Export and share aesthetics are a Craft strength for stakeholders. Portability is good but block structure is more Craft-native than plain Markdown files on disk.
Verdict: Both export well enough; neither is as file-native as Obsidian vaults.
Who Should Choose Which?
1Novelist / journaler on Apple devices
Focus, themes, and Markdown flow beat block-doc complexity. Export frequency is the tell for Bear versus staying inside Craft.
2Consultant shipping client proposals
Presentation-quality docs and sharing justify Plus. Shared spaces beat solo Markdown when multiple people edit the same plan.
3Student on a budget
Free local or cheap Pro; Craft Free works until block limits. Students often start free and only pay when sync or history becomes daily.
4Family shared recipes and plans
Family plan shared spaces fit multi-member access. Client-facing docs push people toward Craft even if they draft elsewhere.
5Privacy-first personal PKM
Encryption/lock and Apple-centric sync model. Journals and essays still favor Bear focus modes for many writers.
6Startup drafting handbooks
Team spaces and structured pages scale better than tags alone.
Migration Guide
Bear → Craft
Export notes from Bear (Markdown/TextBundle/DOCX as needed), import into Craft pages, then rebuild tag taxonomies as Craft page trees or collections. Expect to re-style rather than perfect 1:1 Markdown fidelity. Start on Craft Free to test block limits before paying Plus.
Craft → Bear
Export documents to Markdown or text where possible, import into Bear, and retag aggressively. Complex Craft layouts may flatten. Use Bear Pro if you need multi-device sync immediately.
Pro Tips
Do not delete the old app until you verify attachments, sketches, and internal links. For long-term portability, keep periodic Markdown exports regardless of winner.
Final Verdict
Depends on use case
Score
Bear
Score
Craft
Scores are Bundl.run editorial ratings out of 10 across 8 criteria (the feature comparison above), last reviewed August 2026.
Bear is the better buy for solo Apple writers who want Markdown, tags, and Pro sync near $30/year. Craft is the better buy when documents need structure, sharing, and a web client that non-Markdown teammates can open. Neither replaces a full Notion-style database suite; they compete as personal and small-team note surfaces with different shapes. Match the app to export habits and collaboration needs, not to which landing page looks calmer.
Bottom Line: Buy Bear Pro for personal writing across Apple devices. Buy Craft Plus (or Family/Team) when documents must be structured, shared, and presented. Keep Apple Notes only if you need free basics without Pro polish.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & References
Fact-CheckedLast verified: Aug 9, 2026
Key Verified Facts
- Bear Pro costs $2.99/month or $29.99/year with a 7-day free trial.[cite-1, cite-2]
- Craft Free includes up to 1,500 content blocks and 1 GB storage; Plus is listed around $10/month or $96/year in help/pricing materials.[cite-3, cite-4]
- Bear Pro unlocks iCloud sync, encryption, advanced exports, and OCR search inside PDFs and images.[cite-1]
- Craft offers Family and Team plans for shared spaces beyond individual Plus.[cite-3, cite-4]
- 1Bear homepage pricing and Pro features
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 2Bear Pro features and price FAQ
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 3Craft pricing plans
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 4Craft plans and pricing help
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 5Bear platform FAQ (Web/Android/Windows)
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 6Craft product site
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
- 7The Verge on Bear 2
Accessed Aug 9, 2026
Research queries: Bear Pro pricing August 2026; Craft Plus pricing 2026; Bear vs Craft notes app