# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs Versatile Notes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal at 77% against Versatile Notes's 0%. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 2 months). Versatile Notes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16). On price 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. Versatile Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, Versatile Notes every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | Versatile Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | — |
| Positive reviews | **76.9% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 263 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [NAOAKI SEKIGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1146328819) |

## 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


### Versatile Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/versatile-notes/id1497894237)

This app functions as a versatile database for storing essential business data, including text, files, images, videos, PDFs, and secure password information. Its powerful search capabilities allow for instant retrieval of even large amounts of data, and data can be organized into groups for efficient management. It also supports iCloud syncing for seamless sharing across Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Store text, images, videos, PDFs, Securely save IDs and passwords, Organize data into groups, Powerful search with AND/OR options, iCloud syncing across Apple devices, Apple Watch compatibility for data display

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?

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

### Is Versatile Notes free?

Versatile Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Versatile Notes shows ads; Bear Markdown Notes & Journal does not.

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

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and Versatile Notes every 2 months. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on November 8, 2026 and Versatile Notes 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.*