# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs 9Cut

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal at 77% against 9Cut's 0%. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (6.9K vs 14). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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 9Cut sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal has 6.9K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's written reviews are positive against 0% of 9Cut's.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, 9Cut every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | 9Cut |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9cut-photo-grid-splitter/id1275439530/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 230 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [鹏 刘](https://appshunter.io/developer/971635267) |

## 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


### 9Cut

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/9cut-photo-grid-splitter/id1275439530)

Easily divide your photos into nine grid sections for a unique social media presentation. Apply special effects to enhance your images before sharing them and receiving praise.

**Highlights:** Divide photos into 9 sections, Apply special effects, Save images to album, Social media sharing, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Christmas theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| New Year's Day theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| Valentine's Day theme | $0.99 | one-time |
| All themes | $1.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?

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

### Is 9Cut free?

9Cut is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or 9Cut?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while 9Cut averages 4.4 from 14 ratings.

### Do Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or 9Cut have ads?

9Cut shows ads; Bear Markdown Notes & Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or 9Cut?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and 9Cut every 2 months. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on October 29, 2026 and 9Cut on October 29, 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.*