# Cheatsheet vs Bear

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Bear at 6.9K against Cheatsheet's 1.9K. Bear also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.4). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cheatsheet sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Bear sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Cheatsheet against 4.7 for Bear. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.9K and 6.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Cheatsheet's written reviews are positive against 77% of Bear's.

Cheatsheet ships an update every 2 weeks, Bear every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cheatsheet | Bear |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cheatsheet-sticky-note-widget/id914665829/reviews) | [4.7 (6.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1016366447/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K | **6.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.6% of reviews** | 76.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 128 MB | 230 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Overdesigned, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/914665832) | [Shiny Frog Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/527618974) |

## What reviewers say

### Cheatsheet

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cheatsheet-sticky-note-widget/id914665829)

Quickly store and access important information like hotel room numbers or license plates via widgets, a custom keyboard, or your Apple Watch. This app simplifies recalling details without needing to unlock your phone.

**Highlights:** Quick recall memos, Widget access, Custom keyboard integration, Apple Watch app, Search functionality, Organize with folders, Format notes

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cheatsheet Pro | $0.99 | per month |
| Cheatsheet Pro | $1.99 | per month |
| Cheatsheet Pro | $4.99 | per year |
| Cheatsheet Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Small Tip | $2.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $5.99 | one-time |
| Big Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Legacy | $19.99 | one-time |
| Cheatsheet Pro (Lifetime) | $79.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick access to information
- 💡 Useful for remembering important details
- 🤖 Seamless Apple Watch integration
- 💻 Syncs across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues
- 🔒 Lack of password protection
- 🔋 Apple Watch battery drain
- 💰 Paid upgrade required for full functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing from widget
- Syncing problems between devices
- Crashes on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add ability to sort/reorder entries
- Improve sync reliability
- Implement password protection
- Allow adding images/attachments to entries
- Expand customization options (colors, icons, etc.)


### Bear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bear-markdown-notes/id1016366447)

A beautiful and simple Markdown app for capturing, writing, and organizing your thoughts and ideas. It offers a distraction-free writing environment, flexible formatting, and powerful organizational tools like tags and tasks. Ideal for anyone looking to streamline their note-taking and creative processes.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free writing environment, Flexible Markdown formatting, Tag-based organization, Task management, Note linking (WikiLinks), Web clipping extension, Apple Pencil sketching

**Features:** Safari Extension, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pro subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Pro subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Elegant and minimalist design
- 🚀 Smooth and fast performance
- 💡 Flexible tagging system for organization
- 🔒 Secure and private notes
- 🎨 Customizable themes and fonts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Subscription required for syncing and advanced features
- 🔍 Limited search functionality within notes on iOS
- 🖼️ Issues with image handling and resizing
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes reported
- 💻 Lack of web/Windows app for cross-platform access

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cheatsheet free?

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

### Is Bear free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Cheatsheet or Bear?

Cheatsheet and Bear are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1.9K and 6.9K ratings respectively.

### Do Cheatsheet or Bear have ads?

Neither Cheatsheet nor Bear shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cheatsheet or Bear?

Cheatsheet ships an update every 2 weeks, and Bear every 9 days. Most recently, Cheatsheet was updated on October 1, 2026 and Bear on October 2, 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.*