Comparison

Compose vs Bear Notes

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

Head to head
About

Compose

This app helps you regain control of your phone usage by requiring a journal entry before accessing distracting apps. It analyzes your entries to reveal patterns and promote mindfulness, turning your phone into a tool rather than a reflex.

Highlights
  • Block selected apps and websites
  • Create focus profiles and schedules
  • Write with curated journal prompts
  • Discover long-term themes and patterns
  • Receive personalized quotes and affirmations
  • Export or delete journal entries
Features
Read full description

Every day, a war is being fought for your attention. Billions of dollars go into algorithms designed to capture your time, attention, and energy. Leaving you stressed, unfulfilled, and stuck in a loop you can't seem to break. You wake up, and the first thing you do is scroll. You get ready for bed, and the last thing you do is scroll. Life passes by, one more scroll at a time. Your phone should feel like a tool, not a reflex. When you open an app that pulls you into the void, Compose makes you write a short journal entry first. Then the choice is yours: stay focused, take a short break, or carry on. The gate is intentionally easy to cross. That's the point. A hard block can stop one scroll. Compose gives you something to build instead: a journal of what was happening each time you reached for your phone. Every entry becomes part of your story, one that grows more useful over time. Compose automatically organizes the people, places, emotions, activities, and topics in your writing. It reconnects related moments, asks thoughtful follow-up questions, and brings recurring themes and changes into view. This adds up to lasting change. A few sentences a day can ease stress, build self-awareness, help you notice the small moments, and be more present. With Compose, you can: •⁠ Block selected apps, websites, and categories •⁠ Create focus profiles and schedules •⁠ Write with curated, custom, and follow-up prompts •⁠ Find entries even when you can't remember the exact words •⁠ Revisit connected moments •⁠ Discover long-term themes, patterns, and insights •⁠ Receive quotes and affirmations shaped by your journal •⁠ Export or delete your entries whenever you like App blocking and journaling are always free. Compose isn't about giving up your phone. It's about using it on purpose and keeping more of your attention for the life around you.

About

Bear Notes

Features
Read full description

Amazing app for note takers and people who are trying to remember things. Beautiful art is created specifically for this app, handcrafted by pencil. Every single page has individual art to make writing beautiful. Art of this app is inspired by the beautiful creatures from Mother Nature. You can write anything on this app. --Groceries --Password --Dates --Generic Notes --Students who want to take notes --Businessmen who want to write important things The app data is totally secured and remains in your phone. There is no privacy issues. It is not connected by iCloud or anything from outside. The art is personally designed by me with hours of work put into it. The developer of this app is my friend he put a lot of hardworking into this. This app is made by two people to be used by many many people around the world.

Screenshots

Compose4 screens
Bear Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Compose at none against Bear Notes's 1. Bear Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 9 days). On price, ads, device support 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 Notes sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Compose asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Compose ships an update every 9 days, Bear Notes every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Compose versus Bear Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterComposeBear Notes
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size39 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSamir ThapaCharly Nelson

In-app purchases

None

Compose

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Bear Notes

One-time1
  • Unlock all the doors$3.99

Questions

Is Compose free?
Compose is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bear Notes free?
Bear Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Compose or Bear Notes have ads?
Neither Compose nor Bear Notes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Compose or Bear Notes?
Compose ships an update every 9 days, and Bear Notes every 2 days. Most recently, Compose was updated on November 5, 2026 and Bear Notes on November 10, 2026.

Other comparisons