# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs Watchsmith

The clearest difference is rating: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal at 4.7 against Watchsmith's 3.9. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 38%) and ratings volume (6.9K vs 566). Watchsmith's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 10 days) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Watchsmith sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal has 6.9K ratings behind it against 566, 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 38% of Watchsmith's.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, Watchsmith every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | Watchsmith |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | [3.9 (566 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchsmith/id1483088503/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 566 |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 38.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 263 MB | 26 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [Cross Forward Consulting, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/295660206) |

## 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


### Watchsmith

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchsmith/id1483088503)

Personalize your Apple Watch with customizable complications that can dynamically change throughout the day. Access a variety of tools like weather, workouts, and a timezone converter directly from your watch.

**Highlights:** Customizable complications, Dynamic complication scheduling, Weather app, Workout app, Timezone converter, Games, Calendar

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Watchsmith Premium (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Watchsmith Premium (Annual) | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Customizable complications
- 👍 Simplifies date complication
- 🌟 Indispensable app
- 🎨 Fun to customize
- 💡 Innovative features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Complications don't update frequently
- 🔌 Battery life issues
- 🤔 Confusing UI and instructions
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🕰️ Time complications not accurate

**Reported bugs**

- Complications not syncing properly
- App freezes on Apple Watch
- Weather location stuck on LA
- Shared calendar issues

**Requested features**

- Add support for Series 7 and Apple Watch Ultra
- Hourly weather complication
- Year complication
- Celsius temperature option
- Third-party app complications support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?

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

### Is Watchsmith free?

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

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

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while Watchsmith averages 3.9 from 566 ratings.

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

Neither Bear Markdown Notes & Journal nor Watchsmith shows ads.

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

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and Watchsmith every 4 days. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on November 7, 2026 and Watchsmith on November 3, 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.*