OneNote vs. Bear: The clash of the note-taking Titans

Since the introduction of modern learning solutions, the note-taking market has now become more crowded than ever. Among the fierce competition, two apps have emerged as clear favorites among note-takers: Bear and OneNote. Both apps offer ample features to jot down quick notes and ideas like a pro. But which one is better? Let’s compare them based on different factors and pick an ideal digital cabinet to organize your thoughts. We’ll dive deep into the strengths and weaknesses of each app, helping you decide which app fits the best with your note-taking style.

Cross-platform availability

Let’s start with cross-platform availability. There is no competition here. OneNote is available on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and the web. On the flip side, Bear is strictly an Apple-exclusive solution. You can access it on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. While the developers have confirmed a web app soon, they have ruled out native Android and Windows apps.

User interface and customization

Although OneNote has evolved over the years with UI overhauls, it’s simply no match for Bear when it comes to esthetics. Bear is one of the most neatly designed note-taking apps out there. It even beats the default Apple Notes app by a mile. The animations are sleek, intuitive, and feel way better than OneNote.

In terms of customization, you can only change section colors and switch between light or dark themes in OneNote. Bear once again triumphs over OneNote with dozens of app icons and themes to choose from (Duotone Snow being my favorite one).

Notes editor and organization

OneNote uses a standard toolbar with all the familiar options to compose ideal notes in no time. In terms of organization, it follows a familiar Notebook > Sections > Sub-sections > Pages format. You can even assign tags to specific notes.

If you are moving from a physical notebook to a digital solution, you will find yourself right at home with OneNote’s approach. OneNote also supports robust drawing tools with different shades, strokes, highlighters, and more.

Bear completely revamped the toolbar with the v2.0 update. It now offers a compact menu and supports a bunch of unique styles like quote block, code block, and more. Bear uses Markdown, which is a universal method for jotting down notes in many popular apps.

In terms of organization, you can use # to create notebooks. If you want to add more sections, simply use the / command. For example, you can write #2024/July to create a July subsection in the 2024 notebook.

Features

Let’s take a quick look at some of OneNote’s and Bear’s own unique features.

Support for math equations

OneNote supports math equations by default. Whether you want to calculate travel expenses, monthly subscriptions, or just perform some basic math equations, you can simply type a formula in OneNote and get results in real-time. You don’t need to open the Calculator app at all. That, coupled with handwriting, is one of the reasons behind OneNote’s sky-rocketing popularity in the education sector.

Templates

OneNote comes with dozens of templates to get started. You can also download third-party templates from the web. You can create meeting notes, calendars, weekly agendas, and more notes with the help of templates. Check out our guide below to find the top OneNote templates.

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Integration with Microsoft 365 apps

As expected, OneNote has a robust integration with the company’s apps and services. It syncs notebooks across platforms using OneDrive, lets you create Outlook tasks, and even lets you import Outlook meetings right into a OneNote page. We haven’t even scratched the surface here. Read our guide to find the top OneNote features.

Support for backlinks

Bear calls it wiki links, which allow you to connect related notes in no time. You can simply press command + D or type [[note name]] and connect your relevant notes. In this way, you’re able to create a mind map of sorts and keep your thoughts together. It’s one of the best features of Bear Notes.

Detailed statistics

Bear notes also offer detailed statistics which capture the number of words, characters, paragraphs, and estimated read time. If you use Bear to write long-form documents or books, this can really come in handy.

Table of contents

This is another useful feature for pro writers. You can simply click the info button in the top-right corner and move to the Table of Contents to check out your relevant headings.

Price

All OneNote features are completely free to use. However, it uses OneDrive to sync your notes, which is capped at 5GB of free space. To sync more notes, you need to purchase one of the Microsoft 365 plans. Most Bear Notes features are locked behind a paid subscription. The Bear Pro plan starts at $3 per month or $30 per year.

Pick your digital cabinet

Although Bear and OneNote excel at note-taking, they have different approaches to getting things done. Bear has a sleek design, Markdown support, detailed stats, table of contents, backlinks, and prioritizes simplicity with a familiar tag system. OneNote hits back with robust Microsoft 365 integration, cross-platform availability, drawing tools, and template support. Pick one based on your preferences and create a robust productivity system.

Check out our separate post if you want to explore more cross-platform OneNote alternatives.