Bear is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Bear wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Jotter on 2.
Writers and Apple users who want fast, good-looking Markdown notes
iPhone and iPad users who want a quick, private notepad with handwriting
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Bear | Jotter |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #3 of 13 | #8 of 13 |
| Developer | Shiny Frog | The Big Head |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | — |
| Web | ✓ | — |
Common questions
Is Bear better than Jotter?
Bear is the better app overall, scoring 9.1 to 8.4. Bear wins on 3 of the 5 scores, Jotter on 2.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Jotter?
Bear: Free without sync; Bear Pro is $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year. Jotter: Free, no subscription or ads; an optional tip unlocks nothing. On value for money, Jotter scores higher.
Do Bear and Jotter work on the same devices?
Only Bear runs on Mac, Web.
Which is more private, Bear or Jotter?
Jotter scores higher on privacy (9.5/10). No account and no Jotter server: notes sync only through your own iCloud. Handwriting, photo text and voice notes are read on the device. No ads, analytics or tracking; App Store label: Data Not Collected.
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
Jotter
- No titles, folders or save buttons to slow you down
- Handwriting and photo text are searchable, read on the device
- Free, no account, synced through your own iCloud
- iPhone and iPad only, with no Mac, Android or web app
- No backlinks, plugins or collaboration
Jotter is built around one idea: open it and start typing. The first line names the note and it saves as you go. Checklists, Apple Pencil handwriting, scans and voice notes live in the same note, and search reads the text inside pictures and handwriting on the device. Notes sync through your own iCloud with no account, and every note exports as Markdown. It lacks the backlinks and plugins of Obsidian, but as a free, private everyday notepad it is quick and pleasant.
Full Jotter review
