Comparison
Secure Notes vs Bear (2026): Private Locked Vault vs Beautiful Markdown
Secure Notes vs Bear in 2026: Bear is a superb markdown writer with Pro note encryption; Secure Notes is a locked phone vault with a decoy PIN. Which to use.
Quick answer: Bear is the better writing app, and Bear Pro can encrypt individual notes with a password. Secure Notes is the better private vault for a phone other people sometimes hold: it locks the app, folders and notes with Face ID, adds a decoy PIN, hides from the app switcher and runs on Android too. Write in Bear; keep the few notes nobody should see in Secure Notes.
Secure Notes vs Bear at a glance
| Feature | Secure Notes | Bear |
|---|---|---|
| Note encryption | iPhone: no app-level note encryption (iOS Data Protection + app lock). Android: whole vault AES-256 | Encrypted notes with a note password (Pro); other notes use iCloud protection |
| Lock the app | Yes, passcode, Face ID or Touch ID | Yes (Pro) |
| Lock folders | Yes | No folders (tags); individual notes can be encrypted |
| Decoy PIN | Yes (Pro) | No |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Android (no cross-platform sync) | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Writing experience | Simple editor, built for private capture | Markdown-first, premium typography, nested tags |
| Voice notes | Built in | No |
| Sync | iPhone/iPad: your private iCloud (Pro). Android: none | iCloud (Pro) |
| Backups | Password-encrypted AES-256 backup file (Pro) | Bear backup file, many export formats |
| Price (Oct 2026) | Free, optional Pro subscription or lifetime | Free; Bear Pro about $2.99/mo or $29.99/yr |
Competitor details checked against bear.app in October 2026. Prices change, so check their site before you buy.
How does Bear protect notes?
Bear Pro can encrypt individual notes with a note password, with Face ID or Touch ID as a shortcut, and can lock the whole app. Bear states that it cannot recover an encrypted note if you forget the password. Notes you do not encrypt sync through iCloud with Apple's standard iCloud protection.
What you get with Bear is a genuinely best-in-class writing experience: markdown with live styling, beautiful themes, nested tags, a Mac app and export to PDF, HTML, DOCX and more. See Bear's guide to encrypting notes for the details.
How does Secure Notes protect notes?
On iPhone and iPad, Secure Notes stores notes on the device, where iOS Data Protection encrypts storage, and puts them behind its own passcode, Face ID or Touch ID lock. The app does not add a separate encryption layer to notes. Optional sync (Pro) runs in your own private iCloud database, and PixelPort has no server that stores notes.
Where Secure Notes goes further than Bear is access control: lock any folder or single note, use a decoy PIN (Pro) that opens a harmless notebook, hide the app from the app switcher (Pro) and export password-encrypted AES-256 backups (Pro). On Android the whole vault is AES-256 encrypted. Read the full model on our security page.
Which should I use?
Use Bear for essays, blog drafts, research notes and anything you write on a Mac. Its encrypted notes are a solid option for a few sensitive notes if you already pay for Bear Pro.
Use Secure Notes when the threat is the person next to you: a partner, a child or a coworker who borrows your phone. A locked app, locked folders and a decoy PIN cover that better than a writing app. If you are weighing iCloud itself, read is iCloud safe for sensitive notes and whether Apple Notes is end-to-end encrypted.
Final recap
Bear is a writing tool with optional per-note encryption. Secure Notes is a private vault for your phone with locks, a decoy PIN and encrypted backups (on iPhone from version 3.8.1). Plenty of people run both. For other options, see Bear alternatives and the best encrypted note apps.
Frequently asked: Secure Notes vs Bear
Can I lock or encrypt notes in Bear?
Yes, with Bear Pro. Bear can encrypt individual notes behind a note password, with Face ID or Touch ID as a shortcut, and can lock the whole app. Bear says it cannot recover encrypted notes if you forget that password. Regular notes sync through iCloud with Apple's standard protection.
Is Bear end-to-end encrypted?
Bear's encrypted notes are encrypted on your device with your note password before they sync, so only you can read them. Regular, unencrypted Bear notes sync through iCloud with Apple's standard iCloud protection.
Does Secure Notes encrypt notes like Bear's encrypted notes?
Not on iPhone. Secure Notes for iPhone and iPad stores notes on the device under iOS Data Protection and its own passcode and Face ID lock, without adding its own note encryption. Its Pro backup file is AES-256 encrypted. The Android app encrypts the whole vault with AES-256.
Is Bear better than Secure Notes for writing?
Yes. Bear is built around markdown with live styling, excellent typography, nested tags, a Mac app and many export formats. Secure Notes is built for keeping things private on your phone, not for long-form writing.
What does Bear cost?
Bear is free to use on one device, and Bear Pro costs about $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year as of October 2026. Pro adds iCloud sync, encrypted notes, app lock, themes and more export formats. Secure Notes is free, with an optional Pro subscription or one-time lifetime purchase.
Why use Secure Notes if I already use Bear?
For things Bear does not try to do: a decoy PIN that opens a harmless notebook, folder-level locks, hiding from the app switcher, voice notes inside the vault, password-encrypted backup files (iPhone app 3.8.1 and later) and an Android app. Many people write in Bear and keep a few private notes in Secure Notes.
Keep reading
Related guides
Alternatives
Best Bear alternatives
Writing and privacy apps for people outgrowing Bear.
iCloud
Is iCloud safe for sensitive notes?
What iCloud encrypts, what it does not, and where Advanced Data Protection fits.
Comparison
Best encrypted note apps in 2026
Which apps really encrypt end to end, and which only lock.
