# Bear vs MindNode

The clearest difference is ads: Bear at none against MindNode's shown. Bear also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (77% vs 59%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bear sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and MindNode sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bear holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.9K and 1.9K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Bear's written reviews are positive against 59% of MindNode's.

Bear ships an update every 9 days, MindNode every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear | MindNode |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.5 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindnode-classic/id1218718027/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 1.9K |
| Positive reviews | **76.8% of reviews** | 59.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 230 MB | 390 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [IdeasOnCanvas GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/312220105) |

## What reviewers say

### Bear

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


### MindNode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindnode-classic/id1218718027)

Capture, organize, and visualize your thoughts and ideas. This app allows you to brainstorm, structure complex projects, and share your vision in various formats. Stay productive across all your devices with seamless iCloud integration.

**Highlights:** Capture thoughts as text, images, links, or tasks, Organize ideas with hierarchical outlines and mind maps, Style mind maps with themes and stickers, Export ideas to various formats, Cross-platform productivity with iCloud sync, Focus Mode and foldable branches for organization

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and intuitive interface
- 🧠 Excellent for organizing thoughts and ideas
- 🌐 Seamless sync across devices
- 💻 Great for both personal and professional use
- 🎨 Beautiful and customizable themes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model frustrates some users
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional sync and stability issues
- 🔀 Limited layout and connection options

**Reported bugs**

- Files disappearing or becoming corrupted
- App crashing after recent updates
- Inability to restore previous purchases

**Requested features**

- Add audio recording capability
- Improve handwriting and Apple Pencil support
- Allow more flexible node connections and layouts
- Provide a one-time purchase option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear free?

Bear is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is MindNode free?

MindNode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bear or MindNode?

Bear is rated higher. Bear averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while MindNode averages 4.5 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Bear or MindNode have ads?

MindNode shows ads; Bear does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bear or MindNode?

Bear ships an update every 9 days, and MindNode every 6 weeks. Most recently, Bear was updated on September 25, 2026 and MindNode on September 23, 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.*