Stop paying
just to sync.
Tired of paying just to sync? Craft gives you sync, collaboration, and AI — included free.
Which one is right for you?
Craft
Sync is free — you shouldn't pay $2.99/mo just to access your own notes
Works on Windows and Web too — not locked to Apple devices
Real-time collaboration when Bear has zero sharing features
AI writing assistant included — Bear has no AI at all
Tables, media, web publishing — features Bear users have requested for years
Bear
You only use Apple devices and love pure markdown editing
Tag-based organization is essential to your workflow
You prefer a minimal text editor over a document tool
You don't need collaboration, tables, or web publishing
Bear users love its clean design — but many are frustrated by paying $2.99/mo just for iCloud sync, no collaboration features, and development that moves at a glacial pace. Craft gives you everything Bear does, plus cross-platform support, AI, and collaboration.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
See how Craft and Bear compare across key features
Feature
Craft
Bear
Winner
Performance
Native apps, instant launch on all platforms
Native Apple apps, fast launch (Apple only)
Craft
Sync
Instant sync included free on all platforms
iCloud only — costs $2.99/mo extra
Craft
Document Design
Rich covers, layouts, tables, and typography
Markdown with themes (no tables, no media embeds)
Craft
AI Features
Built-in AI assistant, free in all plans
None — no AI features available
Craft
Offline Access
Full offline on all platforms
Full offline (Apple devices only)
Tie
Apple Pencil
Full drawing and annotation support
Not available
Craft
Web Publishing
One-click beautiful web pages
Not available
Craft
Free Tier
Free plan with sync included
Free but no sync (pay $2.99/mo for sync)
Tie
Organization
Spaces, folders, collections, tags
Tags only — no folders or hierarchy
Craft
Why users switch to Craft
M
Mikailkraft
“ Craft gets rid of all the noise from Notion while not becoming as barebones as Obsidian. It’s a perfect balance of features – and it’s done seamlessly. Synching is immediate, and the app feels right at home on my Mac and my iPad.”
App Store Award
Mac App of the Year
Apple Design Awards
Finalist
Webby
Awarded three times in various categories
German Design Award
Excellent Communications Design Interactive UX
What matters most
Craft gets it right
Quick idea capture
Capture ideas on any device — Mac, iPad, iPhone, Windows, or Web — with sync included free
Fast, beautiful writing
Rich formatting with covers, tables, and media — not just plain markdown text
Offline access
Full offline everywhere, not just on Apple. Your notes aren't held hostage by one ecosystem
Easy Organization
Spaces, folders, collections, and tags — more than just a flat tag list
Task management
Built-in tasks with due dates and daily notes — no third-party app needed
API, MCP & Automations
Connect with Claude, ChatGPT, Apple Shortcuts, and build custom workflows
Compare the cost
Plan
Craft
Bear
Starter
Free
Free
Plus Personal
$4.8
$2.99/mo
Plus Family and Groups
$9.0 /person
N/A (personal only)
AI Assistant Feature
Included
In Business plan only
Why users switch to Craft
J
Jeffb129
“ Craft is way more functional than Apple or Google Notes while being much easier to use than Notion”
Switch From Bear To Craft
Export Your Notes
In Bear, select all notes and use File → Export Notes. Choose Markdown format for best compatibility.
Import to Craft
In Craft, go to All Documents, click Import, and select your exported Markdown files. Tags are preserved.
Start Creating
Your notes are in Craft with formatting intact. Sync works immediately — no subscription needed.
Ready for notes that sync without extra fees?
Start for free. No credit card required.
Common Questions
For many users, yes. Craft offers the same clean, minimalist writing experience Bear is known for – but adds powerful features like web publishing, real-time collaboration, collections, and native Apple Pencil support. If you love Bear's simplicity but need more, Craft is the natural next step.
Writers, creators, educators, and professionals who want beautiful documents with more power than a simple note-taking app. Craft is fully native on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with automatic sync and full offline access – just like Bear, but with more capabilities.
Yes. Craft supports real-time collaboration, comments, and team spaces. Share documents with anyone via link – they can view without an account. This is a major advantage over Bear's single-user model.
Bear Pro costs $2.99/month. Craft Plus starts at $5/month but includes AI assistant, web publishing, collaboration, and collections – features Bear doesn't offer at any price. For the full package, Craft offers significantly more value.
Publish beautiful web pages with one click, collaborate in real-time, use Apple Pencil for handwriting, organize with collections and spaces, add cover images and styled blocks, and use built-in AI assistance. Bear is great for plain notes – Craft is great for everything.
Yes. Craft provides full offline access – create, edit, organize, and search documents without internet. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect. Both apps excel at offline, but Craft adds more features on top.
Yes. Craft has a built-in Bear import tool. Your notes, formatting, tags, and attachments transfer cleanly. It's one of the smoothest migrations available – most users complete it in minutes.
Yes. Craft supports Markdown input and can export to Markdown. You can write with Markdown shortcuts just like Bear. The difference is Craft renders your content beautifully in real-time rather than showing raw Markdown.
Both are fast native apps built for Apple platforms. Bear is slightly lighter for pure text notes, but Craft's performance is excellent even with rich content, images, and embedded files. Sub-second sync across all devices.
Yes. Craft supports tags for organizing your documents. You can also use folders, spaces, and collections for more powerful organization options that Bear doesn't offer.
Yes. This is one of Craft's biggest advantages. Publish any document as a beautiful website with one click. Share professional-looking pages with anyone – no account needed to view.
Yes. Craft has native Apple Pencil support on iPad for writing, drawing, and annotating. Mix handwritten notes with typed text seamlessly. This is a feature Bear simply doesn't offer.
Yes. Craft includes AI assistant in all plans at no extra cost. Write, edit, summarize, and organize content with AI help. Bear has no AI features.
If you need publishing, collaboration, AI, or Apple Pencil support, absolutely. Many Bear users upgrade to Craft when they outgrow simple note-taking and need a more complete writing and productivity tool.
Yes. Craft offers a free Education plan for students with full Plus features. Better organization with spaces and collections, publishing for portfolios, and collaboration with classmates make it ideal for academic work.
Both are excellent writing tools. Bear is great for distraction-free Markdown notes. Craft is better if you want to publish, collaborate, or create richly formatted documents. Many writers use Craft for polished work and Bear for quick drafts.
Both sync quickly via iCloud. Craft adds a web app for non-Apple access and shared links work for anyone. Bear is limited to Apple devices only.
Use Craft's built-in Bear import (Settings → Import → Bear). Select the notes you want and Craft handles the rest. Your formatting, tags, and attachments transfer automatically. Takes just minutes for most libraries.
Why users switch to Craft
Aaron
“ Best App for Everyone. It features every features with excellent UI and UX taking note taking to next level and I even replaced Notion with this one.”