Bear vs Google Keep
Which is better in 2026? Five scores, side by side.
Bear is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.3. Bear wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Google Keep on 1.
Writers and Apple users who want fast, good-looking Markdown notes
Android users and families who want quick shared lists and simple notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Bear | Google Keep |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #4 of 17 | #15 of 17 |
| Developer | Shiny Frog | |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | — | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Bear better than Google Keep?
Bear is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.3. Bear wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Google Keep on 1.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Google Keep?
Bear: Free without sync; Bear Pro is $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. Google Keep: Free; uses your Google account's 15 GB of free storage. On value for money, Google Keep scores higher.
Do Bear and Google Keep work on the same devices?
Only Bear runs on Mac. Only Google Keep runs on Android.
Which is more private, Bear or Google Keep?
Bear scores higher on privacy (9.4/10). App Store label: no tracking and no data linked to you, only crash data. Notes sync through your own iCloud, Shiny Frog says it can't access them, and Pro adds per-note encryption.
Strengths and weaknesses
Bear
- Polished, distraction-free writing
- Notes stay in your iCloud, not on Bear's servers
- Pro costs just $29.99 a year
- No Android or Windows app
- Sync and encryption require Pro
- Tags only, no traditional folders
Bear is a Markdown notes app with a calm, polished editor that makes jotting things down a pleasure. Organize with nested tags instead of folders, add tables, callouts, math and Mermaid diagrams, and search text inside images and PDFs with Pro. Notes sync privately through your iCloud, and the price is gentle. It's Apple-only apart from a web version, and sync needs Pro.
Full Bear review
Google Keep
- Free, with no ads
- Works on Android, iPhone and any web browser
- Shared shopping lists update in real time
- No folders or tables, and only basic formatting
- Notes aren't end-to-end encrypted
- Keep Live is Android-only and needs a paid Google AI plan
Google Keep is the sticky-note wall of notes apps. Jot a thought, tick off a shopping list, snap a photo or record a voice memo, and it syncs to Android, iPhone and the web in seconds. Shared lists update live for everyone, and reminders pop up at the right time or place. It's free with no ads. Formatting is basic, there are no folders, and your notes aren't end-to-end encrypted.
Full Google Keep review
