Comparison

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal vs MidSpark

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

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
Read full description

Bear is a beautiful, powerfully simple Markdown app to capture, write, and organize your life. ​ Take notes, plan your day, journal thoughts, organize tables, create lists and tasks, sketch ideas, link notes together, write a book, and much more. Bear is used by writers, lawyers, chefs, CEOs, teachers, doctors, engineers, students, parents.. you get the picture. Getting started couldn’t be faster—no signup and no account. Just open a note and write naturally. ​ "My journaling app of choice is Bear" - Kit Eaton, New York Times ​ * 2017 Apple Design Award * 2016 App Store App of the Year * Editors' choice for 7 consecutive years * Most of our parents love it ​ ## BEAUTIFUL. SIMPLE. POWERFUL. PRIVATE - Tools stay out of your way so you can just write - Sketch ideas on iPad with an extendable canvas and Apple Pencil (and other styli) - Clip web pages and other content with Bear’s app extension - The redesigned Info Panel now with Table of Contents and Backlinks - Use Apple Watch to dictate and append to recent notes - Support for all the scripts including RTL languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian - Easily create notes with Siri and Shortcuts - Your notes, not ours - Bear is private at its core: We cannot see your notes, tags, or anything else ​ ## FLEXIBLE MARKDOWN ​ - Work in plain text - easy to move between apps - Still use formatting like bold, italics, strikethrough, links, tables, and more with Markdown - Combine text styles like bold and underline, even in headings - Markdown hides for a clean reading experience - Use WikiLinks to connect notes and build a personal wiki or knowledge management tool ​ ## GET ORGANIZED with #tags, tasks, and more ​ - Add #tags, #multi-word tags# and even #multiple/nested/tags anywhere in a note for quick organization - Pin important tags to the top of the Sidebar - Make important tags stand out in the Sidebar with TagCons - Add tasks to notes and easily view all notes that include tasks - Fold sections to get them out of the way ​ ## SHARING MADE EASY ​ - Export notes to plain text, Markdown, TextBundle, Bear note, and rich text - Export notes to HTML, DocX, PDF, JPG, and ePub (Bear Pro required) - Easily share your notes to any third-party app with the Share Sheet ​ ## SEARCH FAR AND WIDE ​ - Use Spotlight to search your notes from anywhere - Search for text inside photos and PDFs (Bear Pro required) - Focus on specific types of notes with powerful Special Searches like @todo, @images, and @yesterday ​ ## CREATE YOUR COZY SPACE ​ * Pick from nearly 30 themes for the perfect writing space in both Light and Dark Mode (Bear Pro required) * Choose an app icon that speaks to your personality (Bear Pro required) * Set your own fonts for plain text, headings, and code * Set line height and width, paragraph spacing, and more ​ ## GET MORE WITH BEAR PRO ​ One subscription enables a variety of features on all your devices and keeps the Bear hugs coming. ​ - Sync notes between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud - Encrypt individual notes with a password that is entirely private to you - Lock Bear with Face/Touch ID - Export to more formats including HTML, DocX, PDF, JPG, and ePub - Search for text inside images and PDFs in Bear notes - Over 30 beautiful app themes & app icons ​ $2.99 monthly $29.99 yearly 14-day free trial ​ ----- Price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your App Store account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will not be able to cancel the subscription once activated. After purchase, manage your subscriptions in App Store Account Settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. ----- ​ bear@shinyfrog.net Twitter: BearNotesApp Reddit: reddit.com/r/BearApp Facebook: BearNotes Instagram: BearNotesApp Privacy Policy: http://www.bear.app/privacy/ Terms of Service: http://www.bear.app/terms/

About

MidSpark

Capture, organize, and secure your thoughts and ideas with this versatile note-taking and task management tool. Features include offline access, home screen widgets for quick entry, and reminders for important dates and subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Create and edit notes
  • Organize notes with folders and labels
  • Offline note access
  • Home screen widgets for quick note creation
  • Task management with reminders and deadlines
  • Save favorite locations
  • Subscription and important date reminders
  • Financial tracking and savings goals
Read full description

MindSpark is an innovative note-taking app that allows you to capture your ideas anytime, anywhere. Thanks to its security and ease of use, MindSpark will become your reliable assistant in organizing thoughts. 1) Main functions - Create and edit notes: Easily create and edit notes on the go. MindSpark ensures smooth operation by allowing you to focus on the content rather than the technical aspects. - Organize notes: Create folders, labels, and use the search to quickly access the information you need. MindSpark will help you structure your thoughts and ideas. - Offline mode: Work with notes even without an internet connection. Your data is always with you wherever you are. - Data security: ensures the security of your information. Your personal space is protected from unauthorized access, and you don't have to worry about registering or transferring data to third parties. - Widgets: For even more convenience, MindSpark offers widgets that allow you to quickly create notes right from your device's home screen. - Create Tasks: Manage your chores and plans by creating tasks with reminders and deadlines. MindSpark will help you not to forget about important things. - Save favorite locations: Record and save your favorite places so that you always have them at hand. It can be a restaurant, a park, or any other place that is dear to you. - Subscription Reminders: Don't miss any payments or updates. MindSpark can remind you about music subscriptions, services, or any other services. - Birthdays and important dates: you will never forget to congratulate your loved ones! Saving money: Keep track of your finances and plan your savings. MindSpark helps you set goals and track your progress towards financial goals. Advantages of MindSpark - Mobility: MindSpark is your mobile brain that is always with you. No matter where you are, you can write down your thoughts and ideas. - Ease of use: The intuitive interface and smooth operation make MindSpark accessible to users of any level of training. - Privacy: Your data belongs only to you. MindSpark does not require registration and does not transfer your data to third parties, ensuring maximum security. - Flexibility: Thanks to widgets and the ability to work offline, MindSpark adapts to your lifestyle and needs. MindSpark is not just a note-taking app, it's your personal assistant that helps you save and organize your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration. Support: midpad46@gmail.com

Screenshots

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal4 screens
MidSpark4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MidSpark at none against Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's 2. MidSpark also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 77%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Bear Markdown Notes & Journal's advantage is ratings volume (6.9K vs 1) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. MidSpark asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

MidSpark holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bear Markdown Notes & Journal has 6.9K ratings behind it against 1, 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 100% of MidSpark's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, MidSpark every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Bear Markdown Notes & Journal versus MidSpark: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBear Markdown Notes & JournalMidSpark
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (6.9K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.9K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size263 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShiny Frog Ltd.Denis MIshin

Customer experience

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

All ratings6,867 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral2.6%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews1,754 reviews
Positive76.9%
Neutral9.5%
Negative13.7%

MidSpark

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sync issues causing note conflicts and data loss
  • Cursor jumping and input issues on iPad
  • Inconsistent behavior when importing/exporting content

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

MidSpark

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Bear Markdown Notes & Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Pro subscription7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Pro subscription7 Days trial$29.991 Year
None

MidSpark

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Bear Markdown Notes & Journal free?
Bear Markdown Notes & Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is MidSpark free?
MidSpark is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or MidSpark?
MidSpark is rated higher. Bear Markdown Notes & Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 6.9K ratings, while MidSpark averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or MidSpark have ads?
Neither Bear Markdown Notes & Journal nor MidSpark shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal or MidSpark?
Bear Markdown Notes & Journal ships an update every 10 days, and MidSpark every 5 days. Most recently, Bear Markdown Notes & Journal was updated on November 5, 2026 and MidSpark on November 3, 2026.

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