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Best Free Alternatives to Bear Notes
Stop paying $2.99/mo. Discover professional-grade tools that won't break your budget.
Category: Notes & MarkdownVerified for 2025
Top Recommended Replacements
Joplin
FREEBest Cross-Platform All-Rounder
Why we like it
Open-source, supports E2E encryption, and allows syncing via Dropbox, OneDrive, or WebDAV.
Keep in mind
The interface is functional but lacks the high-end aesthetic polish of Bear.
Obsidian
FREEBest for Personal Knowledge Management
Why we like it
Local-first Markdown files, massive plugin ecosystem, and powerful bi-directional linking (Graph View).
Keep in mind
Steep learning curve for power features; official sync is a paid service.
Notesnook
FREEBest for Private Cloud Syncing
Why we like it
Fully open-source with zero-knowledge encryption; modern, fast UI that works across all platforms.
Keep in mind
Some advanced formatting and attachment features require a 'Pro' subscription.
Standard Notes
FREEBest for Security & Longevity
Why we like it
Industry-leading encryption; designed to be a 'forever' app that is extremely stable and private.
Keep in mind
The free version is limited to plain text; Markdown rendering and themes are paid features.
Logseq
FREEBest for Networked Outlining
Why we like it
Privacy-first outliner that handles backlinking beautifully; excellent for brainstorming and connecting ideas.
Keep in mind
Mobile syncing requires some technical setup (Git or third-party cloud) or a paid sync.
Simplenote
FREEBest for Speed & Simplicity
Why we like it
Completely free, lightning fast, and features the simplest sync experience for basic text notes.
Keep in mind
Does not support images, attachments, or rich Markdown rendering compared to Bear.
AppFlowy
FREEBest Modern Collaborative Workspace
Why we like it
Highly customizable open-source alternative to Notion/Bear; allows for total data sovereignty.
Keep in mind
Still in relatively early development; mobile app experience is not yet as mature as rivals.
Zettlr
FREEBest for Writers & Researchers
Why we like it
Built for the Zettelkasten method; excellent for managing long-form writing, citations, and metadata.
Keep in mind
The interface can feel overwhelming for users who just want a quick scratchpad for notes.
Trilium Notes
FREEBest for Hierarchical Knowledge Bases
Why we like it
Infinite nesting, scripting support, and a very powerful desktop-first organization system.
Keep in mind
Not designed for mobile use; interface is technical and focused on 'power users'.
SilverBullet
FREEBest Self-Hosted Personal Wiki
Why we like it
A 'knowledge management' system that can be self-hosted via Docker; extremely fast and hackable.
Keep in mind
Requires technical knowledge to host and maintain; no native mobile application.
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