# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs Universe Website Builder

The clearest difference is ads: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal at none against Universe Website Builder's shown. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 55%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Universe Website Builder sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.9K and 9.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's written reviews are positive against 55% of Universe Website Builder's.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, Universe Website Builder fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | Universe Website Builder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.5 (9.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-website-builder/id1211437633/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.9K | **9.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 54.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 230 MB | 294 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [Universe Exploration Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/1012451110) |

## What reviewers say

### Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447)

A beautiful and simple Markdown app for capturing, writing, and organizing your thoughts and ideas. It offers a distraction-free writing environment, flexible formatting, and powerful organizational tools like tags and tasks. Ideal for anyone looking to streamline their note-taking and creative processes.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free writing environment, Flexible Markdown formatting, Tag-based organization, Task management, Note linking (WikiLinks), Web clipping extension, Apple Pencil sketching

**Features:** Safari Extension, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Pro subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Elegant and minimalist design
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 💡 Flexible tagging system for organization
- 🔒 Secure and private notes
- 🎨 Customizable themes and fonts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription required for syncing and advanced features
- 🔍 Limited search functionality within notes on iOS
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and resizing
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes reported
- 💻 Lack of web/Windows app for cross-platform access

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues causing note conflicts and data loss
- Cursor jumping and input issues on iPad
- Inconsistent behavior when importing/exporting content

**Requested features**

- Add password protection for individual notes
- Improve search capabilities to find text within notes
- Implement table support for more robust note-taking
- Develop a web-based version for broader accessibility
- Allow manual sorting and organization of notes


### Universe Website Builder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universe-website-builder/id1211437633)

Build a professional website or online store quickly and easily with a drag-and-drop interface. Publish to a custom domain and accept payments in minutes. Includes tools for design, commerce, audience management, and AI-powered content creation.

**Highlights:** Drag-and-drop Grid Editor, 100+ customizable templates, Integrated e-commerce tools, AI copy and image generation, Audience management and email marketing, Custom domain publishing

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| .COM Domain | $2.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro for 1 Site | $5.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro for 1 Site | $9.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro for 1 Site | $9.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro for 1 Site | $24.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro for 1 site | $24.99 | per month |
| Universe Pro  for 1 Site | $119.99 | per year |
| Universe Pro for 1 site | $199.99 | per year |
| Universe Pro for 1 Site | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 🚀 Convenient mobile-first design
- 👍 Affordable pricing
- 👍 Responsive customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔒 Concerns over domain ownership
- 💰 Expensive pro features
- 🔒 Limited customization options
- 🔒 Restricted free version

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to save progress
- Glitches with image/video embedding
- Inconsistent performance across devices
- Issues with domain registration and transfer

**Requested features**

- Improved desktop responsiveness
- More design flexibility
- Ability to use own domain
- Expanded e-commerce features
- Better analytics and reporting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Universe Website Builder free?

Universe Website Builder is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or Universe Website Builder?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while Universe Website Builder averages 4.5 from 9.8K ratings.

### Do Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or Universe Website Builder have ads?

Universe Website Builder shows ads; Bear Markdown Notes & Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or Universe Website Builder?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and Universe Website Builder fortnightly. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on October 23, 2026 and Universe Website Builder on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*