1
Also covers ios and macos · same kind of website
Highlights helps readers annotate PDFs and extract notes, images, tables, and citations on Mac, iPad, and iPhone.
Alternatives
The Best Bear Alternatives in 2026
18 alternatives5 free · 2 open source
Looking for something like Bear? Here are 18 alternatives, ranked by how closely they match it on purpose, features and platforms. Of these, 5 are free or have a free plan and 2 are open source.
Bear provides a Markdown editor for writing and organizing notes on Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
Top picks at a glance
First suggestionHighlightsHighlights helps readers annotate PDFs and extract notes…Free or freemium optionNotefulNoteful combines note-taking and PDF markup in an iPad app…Open source optionUTMVirtual machine app for Mac, iPhone and iPad.Another optionUntoldUntold records voice journal entries and includes tools for…
Quick comparison
| # | Alternative | Pricing | Open source | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highlights | Free trial | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 2 | Untold | — | Not stated | iOS, macOS, Web |
| 3 | NFC Tools | — | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 4 | Twodos | — | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 5 | Noteful | Freemium | Not stated | iOS |
| 6 | Keynote | Freemium | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 7 | NetNewsWire | — | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 8 | Gemini | Freemium | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 9 | Body Clock | — | Not stated | iOS, Web |
| 10 | BlackMagic Camera | — | Not stated | iOS, Web |
All Bear alternatives
2
Untold
apps.apple.com/app/id6451427834Also covers ios · same kind of website
Untold records voice journal entries and includes tools for organizing personal notes.
3
NFC Tools
apps.apple.com/app/nfc-tools/id1252962749Also covers ios · same kind of website
NFC Tools reads and writes NFC tags using an iPhone app designed for near-field communication.
4
Twodos
apps.apple.com/app/id6463499163Also covers ios · same kind of website
Twodos provides a simple iPhone app for organizing personal to-do lists.
5
Also covers ios · free plan
Noteful combines note-taking and PDF markup in an iPad app for highlighting, writing, and studying.
6
Also covers ios · same kind of website · free plan
Keynote lets users design and present slide presentations on iPhone and iPad.
7
NetNewsWire
apps.apple.com/app/id1480640210Also covers ios · same kind of website
With NetNewsWire, users can read RSS feeds on iPhone and iPad and follow incoming news.
8
Also covers ios · same kind of website · free plan
Google Gemini is an AI assistant app from Google, available on iPhone and iPad with optional in-app purchases.
9
Body Clock
apps.apple.com/app/id869648628Also covers ios · same kind of website
Owaves: My BodyClock is a circadian calendar and tracker for iPhone and iPad.
10
BlackMagic Camera
apps.apple.com/app/id6449580241Also covers ios · same kind of website
Blackmagic Design provides a camera app for recording video on iPhone and iPad.
11
Google Slides
apps.apple.com/us/app/google-slides/id879478102Also covers ios · same kind of website
Google Slides lets users create and collaborate on presentations from iPhone and iPad.
12
ChatGPT
apps.apple.com/app/id6448311069Also covers ios · same kind of website
OpenAI provides an iOS app for accessing ChatGPT, its AI assistant, on an iPhone or iPad.
13
iSkin
iskin.tooliphone.netAlso covers ios · same kind of website
iSkin helps users create and install custom themes for iPhone and iPad without a jailbreak.
14
Color Widgets
apps.apple.com/app/id1531594277Also covers ios · same kind of website
Color Widgets offers home screen themes, icons, and quotes for iPhone and iPad.
15
Picsew
apps.apple.com/app/id1208145167Also covers ios · same kind of website
Picsew stitches screenshots and offers annotation and mockup tools on iPhone and iPad.
16
Also covers ios · free plan
ProTube: Video Browser is an iPhone and iPad app that works as a browser for video websites.
17
Also covers ios · open source
Virtual machine app for Mac, iPhone and iPad.
18
Also covers ios · open source · free
VLC for iPhone and iPad is a free, open-source media player from VideoLAN, with support for local files, network streams, subtitles and playback speed controls.
No alternatives match this filter.
Alternatives to similar tools
Keynote14 alternativesProTube14 alternativesNetNewsWire18 alternativesColor Widgets16 alternativesUTM14 alternativesBlackMagic Camera14 alternatives
What is the best alternative to Bear?
Based on features, tags and platforms, the closest alternatives to Bear are Highlights, Untold, and NFC Tools.
Is there a free alternative to Bear?
Yes. Noteful, Keynote, and Gemini are free or offer a free plan.
Are there open-source alternatives to Bear?
Yes: UTM and VLC.
Alternatives are suggested from the purpose and features described in our listings. Different pages for the same product appear once. Read each description to check whether it fits your task. How we choose alternatives · Suggest an alternative