# Bear vs FlickType

The clearest difference is rating: Bear at 4.7 against FlickType's 4.0. Bear also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 39%). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bear sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and FlickType sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bear holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.9K and 12K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Bear's written reviews are positive against 39% of FlickType's.

Bear ships an update every 9 days, FlickType every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear | FlickType |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.0 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flicktype-watch-keyboard/id1359485719/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 6.9K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **76.8% of reviews** | 38.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 230 MB | 81 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [Kpaw, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1275307195) |

## 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


### FlickType

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/flicktype-watch-keyboard/id1359485719)

This app offers a faster and more intuitive typing experience for your smartwatch. It utilizes a unique algorithm for word prediction and supports quick punctuation and easy editing with the digital crown. Enjoy fluid and fun typing with customizable options.

**Highlights:** Swipe typing, Smart auto-correct, Digital Crown editing, Fast punctuation, Customization options, Emoji support

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FlickType Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient keyboard
- 👍 Convenient for Apple Watch
- 🔥 Impressive accuracy
- 💡 Useful alternative to default options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compatibility issues
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases
- 🔒 Limited functionality without paying
- 🤔 Confusing free vs paid aspects

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard not showing up in some apps
- Inconsistent performance, app crashes
- Issues with autocorrect/predictive text

**Requested features**

- Integration with more apps beyond iMessage
- Customization options for keyboard size/layout
- Ability to add words to dictionary
- Easier access to numbers/symbols


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear free?

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

### Is FlickType free?

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

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

Bear is rated higher. Bear averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while FlickType averages 4.0 from 12K ratings.

### Do Bear or FlickType have ads?

Neither Bear nor FlickType shows ads.

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

Bear ships an update every 9 days, and FlickType every 8 days. Most recently, Bear was updated on October 1, 2026 and FlickType on October 1, 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.*