# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs Agenda

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal and Agenda both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 77% of Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's written reviews are positive against 64% of Agenda's. 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 Agenda sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bear Markdown Notes & Journal against 4.6 for Agenda. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6.9K and 3.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's written reviews are positive against 64% of Agenda's.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, Agenda weekly. Both last shipped on November 10, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | Agenda |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.6 (3.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/agenda-notes-meets-calendar/id1370289240/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 3.7K |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 63.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 263 MB | 123 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [Momenta B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1287445659) |

## What reviewers say

### Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

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

Capture, write, and organize your thoughts and ideas with a beautiful and powerful Markdown editor. Create lists, tasks, link notes, and export in various formats. Offers a private and distraction-free writing experience.

**Highlights:** Markdown editor with formatting, Note linking and organization with tags, Task creation and management, Web content clipping, Apple Pencil sketching support, Export to multiple formats, Dictate notes with Apple Watch

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


### Agenda

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/agenda-notes-meets-calendar/id1370289240)

This app organizes notes by placing them on a timeline alongside your calendar. Capture decisions, prepare for meetings, and review past events in a single view. It offers a robust text editor and allows attaching files and photos to notes.

**Highlights:** Notes on a timeline, Calendar event integration, Real text editor with formatting, File and photo attachments, Project and category organization, Cross-device sync, Real-time collaboration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription macOS+iOS | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Features iPadOS+iOS | $44.99 | per year |
| Premium Features iOS & iPadOS | $14.99 | one-time |
| Premium macOS, iOS & iPadOS | $34.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Features | $179.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 📅 Excellent calendar integration
- 💻 Seamless sync across devices
- 🗓 Date-focused note-taking
- 🔍 Helpful search and tagging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
- 🤔 Steep learning curve for some
- 🔍 Difficult to find specific notes
- 💰 Expensive premium subscription
- 🖌 Lack of Apple Pencil support

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues between devices
- Text formatting inconsistencies
- Unresponsive UI in certain cases

**Requested features**

- Handwriting and drawing support
- Ability to insert images and files
- Project templates and subfolders
- Google Calendar integration
- Improved note formatting options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?

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

### Is Agenda free?

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

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

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while Agenda averages 4.6 from 3.7K ratings.

### Do Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or Agenda have ads?

Neither Bear Markdown Notes & Journal nor Agenda shows ads.

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

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and Agenda weekly. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on November 10, 2026 and Agenda on November 10, 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.*