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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 Standard Notes
Context: Note-taking Apps · methodology v1.0.0 · 21 rows
| Attribute | BearShiny Frog | Standard NotesStandard Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Identity · Taxonomy | ||
| Documentation | — | https://standardnotes.com/help |
| Tags | markdown, apple, writing, notes | encryption, privacy, open-source, notes |
| Platform · Deployment | ||
| Delivery model | desktop, mobile | SaaS, desktop, mobile |
| Desktop apps | macOS | — |
| Pricing · Licensing | ||
| Free plan | true | true |
| Free trial | true | — |
| License model | proprietary | open-source |
| Pricing model | free, subscription | free, subscription |
| Source repository | — | https://github.com/standardnotes/app |
| SPDX license IDs | — | AGPL-3.0 |
| Starting price | 2.99 | — |
| Trial length | 7 | — |
| 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) | End-to-end encryption with XChaCha20-Poly1305, Unlimited device sync, Encrypted file storage on paid plans, Web clipper, Two-factor authentication and hardware key support, Daily encrypted email backups |
| Support · Docs · Services | ||
| Support channels | — | community, email |
| Audience · Use · Case | ||
| Best for | Apple-device users who want fast, native Markdown notes organized with tags rather than folders. | Privacy-focused users who want audited end-to-end encryption and openly available source code for their notes and files. |
| Company-size fit | individual | individual |
| Primary use cases | Personal note taking, Writing | Private note taking, Secure storage of sensitive information |
| Skill level | beginner | intermediate |
| Lifecycle · Versioning | ||
| Maintenance status | active | active |
| Vendor · Maintainer | ||
| Founded year | 2016 | — |
| Vendor type | commercial | commercial |
“—” 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 Cells reflect each value's current evidence state; superseded or stale values are excluded.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.