Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Obsidian vs Bear

Obsidian 4.5★ · Free + IAP 75
Winner Tie
Bear 4.7★ · Free + IAP 70

Choose Obsidian if you need a highly customizable, powerful knowledge management system with extensive plugin support, but be prepared for potential mobile app performance issues; opt for Bear if you prioritize a clean, fast, and intuitive note-taking experience, especially if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, but be aware of its unique tag-based organization and recent sync/data loss concerns.

Full reviews: Obsidian · Bear

Obsidian offers unparalleled customization and power for complex knowledge management, leveraging a vast plugin ecosystem, but its mobile app often struggles with performance and syncing. Bear provides a streamlined, aesthetically pleasing, and fast note-taking experience, particularly for Apple users, yet recent updates have introduced sync issues, data loss reports, and UI frustrations for some.

Head to head

Features & Customization edge: ObsidianR2R23R29R50
Obsidian Obsidian is lauded for its extensive features and customization via plugins, allowing users to adapt it for diverse uses like novel writing, finance tracking, and world-building R2R23R29R50. Users appreciate its powerful linking capabilities and markdown support .
Bear Bear offers a clean interface with good markdown support, nested tags for organization, and features like table of contents and LaTeX . However, some users wish for more traditional folder organization and richer text options .
Ease of Use & UI tieR15R18R24R25
Obsidian While powerful, Obsidian's mobile app is frequently criticized for being clunky, slow to load, and not optimized for touch, making it a struggle compared to the desktop version R15R18R24R25. Some users also dislike recent UI changes .
Bear Bear is praised for its clean, intuitive UI and smooth interactions across Apple devices, making it fast and easy to use . However, recent updates have introduced frustrations with copy-paste, adding images, and the keyboard toolbar .
Reliability & Performance tieR1R3R13R15
Obsidian Obsidian's mobile app suffers from significant reliability issues, including black screens, slow loading times, freezing, broken search, and plugins reloading in loops R1R3R13R15. iCloud sync is also reported as glitchy R3R4.
Bear Bear is generally seen as reliable and fast , but recent reviews indicate serious problems with notes disappearing, sync failures across devices, and customer support unresponsiveness R63R67R79. Some users also report stuttering and rendering bugs after updates .
Price & Value tieR6R7R10R28
Obsidian Obsidian is free to use, but its official sync service costs $4/month, which some users find too expensive for basic syncing R6R7R10R28. Many users attempt to use iCloud for sync, but this is often problematic R3R4R9R12.
Bear Bear offers a free tier, but sync, themes, and search are paywalled, costing $2.50/month or $29.99/year . Some users feel the subscription is reasonable for the value, while others criticize paying for iCloud sync, which free apps often provide .
Sync & Cross-Platform tieR2R12R6R3
Obsidian Obsidian offers its own paid sync service, which some users pay for and appreciate R2R12, but others find it expensive R6. iCloud sync is a common alternative but is frequently reported as glitchy or non-functional R3R4R9R12. Users also desire more vault location options and OneDrive support R9.
Bear Bear's sync across Apple devices is generally smooth for paid users . However, recent updates have led to severe sync issues and data loss for some, especially when transferring notes or after iOS updates R63R67R79. A major limitation is the lack of cross-platform support for Windows or web R99.
Pick Obsidian if

you need a highly customizable, powerful knowledge management system for complex projects like world-building or novel writing R2R23R50, you value owning your data in markdown files , or you want extensive community-driven plugins to extend functionality R29.

Pick Bear if

you are deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem and prioritize a clean, fast, and aesthetically pleasing note-taking experience , you prefer a tag-based organization system over traditional folders , or you need a simple yet powerful markdown editor for quick notes and journaling .

Evidence note: Both apps have a free tier with in-app purchases. Obsidian's negative reviews often stem from friction with its mobile app's performance and sync, particularly for free users trying to use iCloud sync. Bear's recent negative reviews highlight critical issues with data loss and sync, which are significant concerns for any note-taking app, regardless of free or paid status.

Frequently asked

Is Obsidian's mobile app reliable?
Obsidian's mobile app is frequently reported to be unreliable, with users experiencing black screens, slow loading, freezing, broken search, and issues with plugins, making it a struggle compared to the desktop version R1R13R15R24.
Does Bear have cross-platform sync?
Bear currently lacks cross-platform support for Windows or web, which has led some users to switch to other apps like Obsidian for broader device compatibility R99.
What are the main issues with Bear's sync?
Recent reviews indicate significant sync issues with Bear, including notes disappearing, sync failures across devices, and problems when transferring notes or after iOS updates, with some users reporting complete data loss R63R67R79R82.
How much does Obsidian Sync cost?
Obsidian's official sync service costs $4 per month, which some users consider expensive for basic syncing functionality R6.
Can I use iCloud to sync Obsidian?
While Obsidian offers iCloud as a sync option, many users report it is glitchy, unreliable, or difficult to set up, with issues like black screens, vaults not being located, and sync conflicts R3R4R9R12.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] Obsidian 5/5 · US My go-to for EVERYTHING: The title’s not a joke. Currently, I’m using obsidian to plan and write my novel (yes, inside obsidian!), manage long-term work projects, budget & track finances, and study blender. If it involves information, notes, data, studying, mood boards, you name it, there are plugins to shape this app into virtually anything. Sync is fairly cheap too, and I am happy to support the
  2. [R23] Obsidian 5/5 · US World building: As an aspiring author, this has by far been the best tool I’ve come across when it comes to world building, developing my characters, and building links and connections between everything. Thank you so much for this app! :)
  3. [R29] Obsidian 5/5 · US Best app: It’s really the best app out there. Yes out of all apps that exist in the world this one is the best. It provides limitless freedom, and the community driven plugins just add even more value. Use it for just about everything and anything for yourself.
  4. [R50] Obsidian 5/5 · US Incredibly powerful: The more I do with Obsidian, the more I find I can do. It takes a fair amount of upfront configuration but the flip side is you can do pretty much what you want with it. I manage my home, my family and my business with it. Great integration with plugins. Constantly surprised just how much is possible from the iOS version - it’s very full featured and I can do all sorts of thin
  5. [R15] Obsidian 3/5 · US Obsidian - amazing, app - subpar: I love Obsidian so much. The tool itself is incredibly powerful. However, I have CONSTANT issues with the app. My vault functions as my second brain but half the time when I open the iPhone app it is stuck on “loading plugins…” so the thought I just wanted to document has now been sidetracked and, in my effort to refresh and load, the thought is often lost because
  6. [R18] Obsidian 3/5 · US I use it because I need to: Still a struggle to use compared to the desktop app. Mobile needs to be overhauled for simplicity rather than trying be 1:1 with desktop.
  7. [R24] Obsidian 3/5 · US Great in theory, iOS app is pure pain: Having inter connected markdown notes. Brilliant. The macOS app also works great. But every time I use the iOS app it makes me want to pull my hair out. Why does it take 3 minutes or more to be able to use the app and do anything? Why is the formatting in the app, one of the things essential for utilizing mark down well, such an absolute pain? I’ve been u
  8. [R25] Obsidian 2/5 · US So slow to open: App is so slow to open on mobile , especially in low latency environments (often on mobile). It's getting to the point where I may even switch off as it just takes so long to get to an editor.
  9. [R1] Obsidian 1/5 · US No search feature?!: Everything has always worked fine but the last few weeks the search feature is completely broken, displays no results, and attempting to use it will break the rest of the app too and make it impossible to use until i reopen it. Admittedly, I have hundreds of files, but they're only text files, I'm not sure what is causing this? Should I relocate my files to another vault or so
  10. [R3] Obsidian 3/5 · US The iCloud Sync is a little Glitchy: I downloaded this app on my phone and when I went to set up the sync, selecting iCloud as my option, after creating my vault, I got a black screen. There was nothing for me to select, it would not let me create a new note or anything, it was as if it crashed while trying to sync to iCloud or something. I closed out of the app, opened it back up, went through th
  11. [R13] Obsidian 1/5 · US Does not load even in new phone: Does not load. Black screen, just sits there. When it does load, very slow.
  12. [R6] Obsidian 3/5 · US No free sync: Great app for world building the only issue is you can’t access vaults made on one device from another which sucks. I love this for world building but I don’t want to pay 4 dollars a month to sync the vaults once! It slows the entire process and makes me want to use another app
  13. [R7] Obsidian 1/5 · US Requires a subscription: Sends new users to their website to pay for a subscription so they don’t have to report in-app purchases
  14. [R10] Obsidian 1/5 · US keeps wanting me to pay: keeps wanting me to pay
  15. [R28] Obsidian 1/5 · US just an ad for sync: you hardcoded the path so users have no sync choices despite what documentation says. disappointing. i have my files already and the app just doesn't work for iOS files.
  16. [R12] Obsidian 3/5 · US WHY?? Mobile overrides desktop: I have been using Obsidian sync (paid, no iCloud integration) for more than a year now and have done my own troubleshooting to no useful conclusion: WHY TF DOES SYNC PRIORITIZE MY MOBILE DEVICE STATE OF FILES OVER WHAT I'M DOING ON MY MAC??? I delete something via Mac Obsidian and- POOF!- it comes right back! I can't reliably edit on my computer and have the change
  17. [R99] Bear 3/5 · US No Cross Platform: I've been using this app on and off for years to journal but the lack of cross platform (pc or browser version with cloud sync) made me move to Obsidian. It's a shame because I'm choosing to pay double the price of Bear Pro for a subscription to Obsidian with enough space to accommodate my files. That money could be going to Bear if they had the capabilities. If cross-platform s
  18. [R63] Bear 3/5 · US Cannot sync well with the Windows web version: I wrote something on the web, and the next day I found it hadn't synced with the latest web version. Instead, it synced an old version from my phone that didn't have the new content. Do you know how devastating that is? This experience is terrible because I specifically tested the sync the night before, and it seemed fine then, but in the morning, it hit me with a major problem. · translated
  19. [R67] Bear 1/5 · US All my work is gone: They updated the app and absolutely everything that I’ve kept there is gone and customer service has helped very very little. If ur gonna use the app at least keep your work backed up elsewhere
  20. [R79] Bear 1/5 · US App not syncing across devices - iOS 26 broke it: App not syncing across devices - seems to have broken with iOS 26. :(
  21. [R82] Bear 1/5 · US Good, but files sometimes disappear.: I have been using this note app to copy and organize my old recipes. It is easy enough to use, once one learns the special characters needed for anything outside of plain script. My problem is that notes occasionally are erased, through no keystroke I can find. If I try to correct a spelling, the note disappears, completely erased. It is not shown on the l
  22. [R4] Obsidian 1/5 · US Can’t locate my vault in iCloud: Good grief it should be super simple to tell it how to locate my vault that is in an iCloud subfolder.
  23. [R9] Obsidian 3/5 · US Vault Locations Limited: The lack of versatility in vault locations on mobile is a real issue. It can ONLY be in their service, in the Obsidian iCloud folder, or local only. Let us pick where our vault is in Files.

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store