# Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner at none against Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's 2. BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner also leads on iOS requirement (12.4 vs 16). Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's advantage is ratings volume (6.9K vs 14) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). On price, ads 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. BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. 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.

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bear Markdown Notes & Journal | BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes-and-journal/id1016366447/reviews)** | [4.5 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barecode-x-pro-qr-code-scanner/id1558500737/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6.9K** | 14 |
| Positive reviews | 76.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 230 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **12.4** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) | [White Marten GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/539793122) |

## 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


### BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/barecode-x-pro-qr-code-scanner/id1558500737)

Scan and generate various barcode formats from your device's camera or photos. Archive scanned codes, export data, and perform actions based on scanned content. Create custom barcodes in multiple formats.

**Highlights:** Scan barcodes from camera or photos, Generate QR and linear barcodes, Archive scanned barcode history, Export history to CSV, JSON, XML, Perform actions on scanned content, Create custom barcodes in PNG, JPEG, PDF

**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 BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner free?

BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner averages 4.5 from 14 ratings.

### Do Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner have ads?

Neither Bear Markdown Notes & Journal nor BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner?

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner monthly. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on October 23, 2026 and BareCode X Pro QR Code Scanner on October 14, 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.*