I wanted to share some honest feedback after using Bear for a while.
One of the things I initially appreciated about Bear was its focus and simplicity. I believe a notes app does not need to become an all-in-one workspace like Notion. Focusing on one core purpose is actually a strength. However, if the goal is to focus on one thing, the product should execute that one thing exceptionally well.
At the moment, the functionality feels extremely basic and progress feels slow. Many improvements that users have been asking for seem to go unheard, and it gives the impression that development is moving in a direction that is disconnected from user feedback.
As someone who works as a design engineer, I care deeply about product craft. When I look at the current feature set, it feels like even AI tools today can prototype more capable functionality.
Another shift happening right now is that users are increasingly able to create their own tools. Platforms and local app builders are making it possible to generate small macOS tools tailored to specific workflows. Many of these run fully locally, prioritize privacy, and allow users to control their own syncing solutions. This makes the competition landscape very different from a few years ago.
Because of these reasons, I’ve decided not to subscribe to Bear Pro and will be moving away from the app for now. I still respect the product and the design quality, which is why I wanted to share this feedback rather than simply leaving silently.
I hope the team considers listening more closely to user feedback and investing deeper in functionality while keeping the focused philosophy that made Bear appealing in the first place.
Thanks for building the app and for taking the time to read this.