Choose Bear if you need
No checked fact sets Bear apart from Obsidian yet.
At a glance
- Both have a free plan.
- Bear offers a free trial (7 days). We haven't confirmed one for Obsidian.
- Bear's lowest paid plan is Pro at $2.99 per month, or $29, as of October 23, 2026.
- Obsidian's lowest paid plan is Sync at $4 per user per month, billed annually, as of October 23, 2026.
- Both are available on macOS and iOS.
- Only Obsidian lists Windows, Linux, Android, CLI and Chrome extension.
- Both have a public API.
From each tool's own website, checked on the dates below, and from published reviews.
Which to choose
From the facts checked for both tools, not from opinion. A fact we haven't confirmed for one of them is never counted.
Choose Obsidian if you need
- Windows, Linux, Android, CLI or Chrome extension. We haven't found them on Bear's website.
Bear
Nobody has reviewed Bear yet. Its rating shows once it has 3 reviews.
Review Bear
Obsidian
Nobody has reviewed Obsidian yet. Its rating shows once it has 3 reviews.
Review ObsidianThe facts
- What it does
- BearA powerfully simple Markdown note taking app to capture, write, and organize your life
- ObsidianThe free and flexible app for your private thoughts
- Free plan
- BearYes
- ObsidianYes
- Pricing
- BearNot confirmed
- ObsidianNot confirmed
- Paid plans from
- BearPro: $2.99 per month, or $29
- ObsidianSync: $4 per user per month, billed annually
- Plans
- BearPro: $2.99 As of October 23, 2026
- ObsidianSync: $4 Publish: $8 Commercial: $50 As of October 23, 2026
- Platforms
- BearmacOS, iOS
- ObsidianmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, CLI, Chrome extension
- Works with
- BearNot confirmed
- ObsidianNot confirmed
- Main features
- BearSeamless Markdown, OCR Search, iCloud sync, Sketch your notes, Resize and crop images, Outline with focus
- ObsidianLinks, Graph, Canvas, Plugins, Sync, Publish
- Free trial
- Bear7 days
- ObsidianNot confirmed
- Public API
- BearYes
- ObsidianYes
- On askusers
- BearNot claimed by its team yet
- ObsidianNot claimed by its team yet
Bear: Facts from bear.app, checked October 23, 2026. Sources: bear.app, bear.app/faq/x-callback-url-scheme-documentation.
Obsidian: Facts from obsidian.md, checked October 23, 2026. Sources: obsidian.md, obsidian.md/pricing, obsidian.md/download, obsidian.md/security, obsidian.md/cli.
Prices change, so confirm on their sites.
What they share
From the platforms and integrations each website lists.
Platforms
Both
- macOS
- iOS
Only BearNothing else listed
Only Obsidian
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
- CLI
- Chrome extension
People who switched
Reviewers who say they used one of these before the other.
No reviewer has said they moved between Bear and Obsidian yet.
Used either of them?
Your review makes this comparison better for the next person. Review Bear or review Obsidian.