# Dear Bear vs Mini journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mini journal at none against Dear Bear's 3. Mini journal also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Dear Bear's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dear Bear sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Mini journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mini journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 101 and 158 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Dear Bear's written reviews are positive against 94% of Mini journal's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dear Bear | Mini journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (101 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-bear-drawing-app/id1635095759/reviews) | **[4.7 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-journal-cute-diary/id6476841474/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 101 | **158** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 94.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) | [新群 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701840990) |

## What reviewers say

### Dear Bear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dear-bear-drawing-app/id1635095759)

Unleash your creativity with a user-friendly drawing application. Offers a variety of brushes, layers, and import options for both finger and Apple Pencil use. Perfect for sketching everyday wonders.

**Highlights:** Variety of brushes, Customizable layers, Image import function, Finger and Apple Pencil support, Professional drawing tools

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus Version Quarterly | $3.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $5.99 | one-time |


### Mini journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-journal-cute-diary/id6476841474)

This app offers a cute and simple way to journal your thoughts and memories. Customize your entries with a variety of stickers and backgrounds, and even create your own unique designs. Share your creations easily with friends and enjoy a seamless journaling experience on any device.

**Highlights:** Cute stickers and backgrounds, Concise and fast editing, DIY sticker creation, One-click sharing, iPad large screen support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ So fun and enjoyable
- 💖 Very cute and aesthetic
- 🎨 Great for creativity and imagination
- 📚 Useful for journaling and note-taking
- 🎁 Lots of free stickers and content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Some features require payment
- 🐛 Glitching and annoying issues
- 🖱️ Stressful to move stickers
- ⚠️ Some stickers can't be used
- 🚫 Pop-ups when clicking unusable stickers

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks deleted
- Kept glitching out
- Doesn't automatically save
- Cannot purchase VIP

**Requested features**

- Add more stickers
- Add a free lock or password to the journal
- Make password protection free, not pro
- Add more free sticker options
- Improve sticker package availability without payment


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dear Bear free?

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

### Is Mini journal free?

Mini journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Dear Bear or Mini journal?

Mini journal is rated higher. Dear Bear averages 4.4 out of 5 from 101 ratings, while Mini journal averages 4.7 from 158 ratings.

### Do Dear Bear or Mini journal have ads?

Both Dear Bear and Mini journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dear Bear or Mini journal?

Dear Bear ships an update every 2 months, and Mini journal every 2 months. Most recently, Dear Bear was updated on October 22, 2026 and Mini journal on October 27, 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.*