# W | Bear vs GBearXL

The clearest difference is rating: W | Bear at 4.5 against GBearXL's 2.5. W | Bear also leads on ratings volume (2.6K vs 6). GBearXL's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 40%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. W | Bear sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and GBearXL sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

W | Bear holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: W | Bear has 2.6K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of W | Bear's written reviews are positive against 50% of GBearXL's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

W | Bear ships an update monthly, GBearXL fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | W | Bear | GBearXL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/w-bear/id1127795024/reviews)** | [2.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbearxl/id1546398502/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 40.3% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 79 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [gNetLabs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1127795023) | [Henry Michels](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501030937) |

## What reviewers say

### W | Bear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/w-bear/id1127795024)

This social networking app connects individuals within the gay bear community. Build meaningful relationships, share your life through photos and videos, and discover local and global events. It's an inclusive space for diverse identities to connect and celebrate.

**Highlights:** Connect with users nearby or globally, Explore profiles with shared interests, Share photos and videos, Discover local and global events, Inclusive community for diverse identities, Intuitive and easy-to-use interface

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $12.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $28.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $79.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Great community
- 📷 Visually appealing interface
- 🔒 Respects user privacy
- 💰 Worthwhile subscription
- 🐻 Specific to bears/chasers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and unstable
- ⏱️ Slow performance and loading times
- 🔍 Lack of search/filtering options
- 🔒 Restrictive for non-subscribers
- 🔧 Lack of updates and bug fixes

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when switching between profiles
- Inability to delete account or photos
- Inconsistent behavior when blocking users
- Photos not showing up in global feeds
- Login issues and account lockouts

**Requested features**

- Ability to manage private album access
- Improved notification management
- Dark mode option
- Better photo/video upload and editing tools
- In-app support and feedback channels


### GBearXL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gbearxl/id1546398502)

Connect with others in the gay bear community through a newsfeed, profile views, and location sharing. Engage with members via live chat, give stars, and play a slot machine game. The app supports multiple languages and offers robust reporting and blocking features.

**Highlights:** Multilingual newsfeed, Profile visitor tracking, Location sharing and distance display, Live messaging chat, User reporting and blocking, Bear Slot Machine Game

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 BXL | $2.99 | one-time |
| 500 BXL | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1000 BXL | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is W | Bear free?

W | Bear is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is GBearXL free?

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

### Which has better reviews, W | Bear or GBearXL?

W | Bear is rated higher. W | Bear averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while GBearXL averages 2.5 from 6 ratings.

### Do W | Bear or GBearXL have ads?

Neither W | Bear nor GBearXL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, W | Bear or GBearXL?

W | Bear ships an update monthly, and GBearXL fortnightly. Most recently, W | Bear was updated on November 6, 2026 and GBearXL 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.*