ntfy vs JournalBear
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ntfy
This app allows you to send push notifications to your phone from scripts or other applications using simple HTTP requests. It acts as a client for a free, open-source pub-sub service, enabling you to receive alerts and updates directly on your device.
- Send notifications via REST API
- Subscribe to topics
- Publish messages via HTTP
- Integrates with Bash/PowerShell
- Free and open source client
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Send push notifications to your phone from any Bash or PowerShell script, or from your own app using PUT/POST requests, e.g. via curl on Linux or Invoke-WebRequest. ntfy is a client for https://ntfy.sh, a free and open source HTTP-based pub-sub service. You can subscribe to topics in this app, and then publish messages via a simple HTTP API. Uses: * Notify yourself when a long-running process is done * Ping your phone when a backup has failed * Alerts when someone logs into your server Example: $ curl -d "Your backup is done" ntfy.sh/mytopic Find more examples and usage instructions here: https://ntfy.sh/docs
JournalBear
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JournalBear is a private, encrypted journal that lives in a single file only you can open. Everything you write is sealed with AES-256 encryption, using a key derived from your password. There is no account, no cloud, and no tracking: your journal never leaves your device unless you move it yourself. WRITE FREELY * Entries are Markdown: headings, lists, quotes, tables, and code blocks render beautifully * Attach photos straight from your library ONE PORTABLE FILE Your entire journal is a single encrypted .zjournal file. Keep it in Files, back it up anywhere, and open the same file with JournalBear on your desktop. PRIVATE BY DESIGN * AES-256 encryption, with the key derived from your password (PBKDF2) * No account, no analytics, no data collection * Works entirely offline — the app never touches the network * Your password is the only key: nobody, including us, can recover a forgotten one
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is device support: ntfy at 3 against JournalBear's 1. ntfy also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | ntfy | JournalBear |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (442 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 442 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Philipp Heckel | Rahul Yedida |
Bugs and requests
ntfy
Reported bugs
3 issues- Notifications not working on iOS
- Broken click URLs in notifications
- Compatibility issues with iOS notification summarizing
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to change notification sounds
- Support for Apple Watch
- Customizable topic names/aliases
- Improved iOS notification handling
- All topics view and read/unread indicators
JournalBear
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ntfy
No in-app purchases
JournalBear
No in-app purchases
