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Pick 2–5 published tools. Values come from our evidence-checked profiles — an em-dash means unknown, never “no”. Ranking rows reflect the current published methodology for the comparison context.
Bear vs Joplin
Context: Note-taking Apps · methodology v1.0.0 · 23 rows
| Attribute | BearShiny Frog | JoplinJoplin |
|---|---|---|
| Identity · Taxonomy | ||
| Documentation | — | https://joplinapp.org/help/ |
| Tags | markdown, apple, writing, notes | open-source, markdown, encryption, self-hosted |
| Platform · Deployment | ||
| Delivery model | desktop, mobile | desktop, mobile, self-hosted |
| Desktop apps | macOS | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Pricing · Licensing | ||
| Free plan | true | true |
| Free trial | true | true |
| License model | proprietary | open-source |
| Pricing model | free, subscription | free, subscription |
| Source repository | — | https://github.com/laurent22/joplin |
| SPDX license IDs | — | AGPL-3.0-or-later |
| Starting price | 2.99 | — |
| Trial length | 7 | 14 |
| Features · Product · Fit | ||
| Core capabilities | Markdown editing with tables and todo lists, Tag-based organization, iCloud sync (Pro), Note encryption (Pro), Export to PDF, HTML, DOCX, JPG, OCR search in photos and PDFs (Pro) | Markdown and rich text notes, End-to-end encrypted sync, Web clipper for Chrome and Firefox, Plugin system with extension API, Note publishing to the web, Self-hosted Joplin Server option |
| Api · Integrations · Ecosystem | ||
| API available | — | true |
| CLI | — | true |
| Security · Privacy · Compliance | ||
| Regulatory compliance | — | GDPR |
| Audience · Use · Case | ||
| Best for | Apple-device users who want fast, native Markdown notes organized with tags rather than folders. | Users who want an open-source, encryption-first notes app that works with their own cloud storage or the hosted Joplin Cloud. |
| Company-size fit | individual | individual, SMB, mid-market |
| Primary use cases | Personal note taking, Writing | Private note taking, Cross-device note sync, Self-hosted note management |
| Skill level | beginner | intermediate |
| Lifecycle · Versioning | ||
| Maintenance status | active | active |
| Vendor · Maintainer | ||
| Founded year | 2016 | 2017 |
| Vendor type | commercial | community |
“—” means unknown (we never treat missing evidence as a negative). Cells reflect each value's current evidence state; superseded or stale values are excluded. Ranking rows are editorial assessments under the cited methodology version — see the Note-taking Apps category for definitions.