Compare
Memos vs Bear
Choose Memos if you need notes outside Apple's platforms or want them on your own server. Choose Bear if you are all-in on Apple and want the nicest native Markdown editor.
Bear is a beautifully made Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone, and iPad, synced through iCloud with a Bear Pro subscription. Memos is open source and self-hosted, reachable from any browser on any platform, with tags, a timeline, and public sharing built in.
| At a glance | Memos | Bear |
|---|---|---|
| License | Open source (MIT) | Proprietary |
| Hosting | Self-hosted web server | Local app, iCloud sync |
| Platforms | Any browser; PWA | Mac, iPhone, iPad |
| Format | Markdown with tags | Markdown with nested tags |
| Best for | Short memos across any device | Writing in a native Apple app |
| Cost | No license fee (you host) | Free; Bear Pro subscription for sync |
The decision
Choose for the work in front of you.
Choose Memos when
You use Android, Windows, or Linux alongside, or instead of, Apple devices.
You want notes on a server you run, not in iCloud.
You want public sharing and an API for scripts and the Web Clipper.
Choose Bear when
You want the best native Markdown editor on Mac and iOS.
You want offline apps, themes, and rich export formats.
iCloud sync is fine and a subscription is acceptable.
Feature by feature
What each one actually does.
Memos answers honestly, including the rows where it says no.
| Feature | Memos | Bear |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | ||
| Open source | Yes.MIT license, developed in public on GitHub | No.Proprietary |
| Self-hosting | Yes.Docker image or a single binary on your server | No.Local app with iCloud sync |
| Official hosted service | No.No official hosted plan; you run the instance | Yes.iCloud sync with Bear Pro |
| Where notes live | SQLite, MySQL, or PostgreSQL on your server | Local database synced through iCloud |
| Price | No license fee; you pay for hosting | Free; Bear Pro subscription for sync and themes |
| Writing | ||
| Markdown | Yes.Write in Markdown with live rendering, code blocks, and math | Yes.Markdown-based editor |
| Tags | Yes.Inline #tags, nested with a slash | Yes.Nested #tags |
| Links between notes | Yes.Relations link memos to each other | Yes.Wiki links and backlinks |
| Attachments | Yes.Images and files, stored on disk or in S3 | Yes.Images and files |
| Full-text search | Yes.Full-text search with tag, date, and visibility filters | Yes.Full-text search with operators |
| Reach | ||
| Works offline | No.Browser app; reading and writing need a reachable server | Yes.Local-first |
| Desktop app | Partial.Install the web app as a PWA; no official native app | Partial.macOS only |
| Mobile app | Partial.PWA on iOS and Android, plus community-built apps | Partial.iPhone and iPad only |
| Cross-device sync | Yes.The server is the source of truth, so every device sees the same memos | Partial.iCloud, with a Bear Pro subscription |
| Public sharing | Yes.Per-memo visibility: private, workspace, or public link | No.No publish; export to share |
| Data | ||
| API and webhooks | Yes.REST and gRPC APIs, signed webhooks | Partial.x-callback-url automation; no web API |
| Import and export | Partial.ZIP export of Markdown and JSON; import from Memos exports only | Yes.Imports Markdown, text, Evernote; exports Markdown, PDF, HTML, more |
| End-to-end encryption | No.The server you run can read your memos; protect it with TLS and disk encryption | Partial.Note locking; iCloud encryption |
Questions
Questions people ask.
Is there a Bear alternative for Windows or Android?
Memos is one option. It runs in any browser and installs as a PWA, so the same notes are on Apple, Android, Windows, and Linux.
Can I import Bear notes into Memos?
Export from Bear as Markdown, then create memos through the Memos API. Bear's nested tags map to Memos' slash-nested tags.
Does Memos look as good as Bear?
Memos is a web app with a clean, simple interface and dark mode. Bear's native editor and themes are a step above; try the live demo and judge.
Keep exploring
Related comparisons and features.
More comparisons
Memos in detail
Start here
Start with one memo.
Install Memos on a server you choose and write your first memo. Open source under MIT, with no license fee.