Bear & Bells vs BearAware
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Bear & Bells
This app provides hikers with customizable bell chimes to alert wildlife in bear country. It offers educational information on bear safety and features unique animal protector illustrations.
- Customizable bell chimes
- Recordable sound options
- Adjustable chime duration
- Animal protector illustrations
- Bear safety information
- Educational content for all ages
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FREE app for hikers in bear country. Developed by hiking enthusiasts, Bear & Bells gives you nine unique bell chimes plus the ability to record and save your own! Set your bell choice and duration, then start walking. Chimes are spaced apart to avoid annoying continuous ringing. Additional features include custom illustration backgrounds of animal “protectors” that will watch over you, information about black and brown (grizzly bears) and safety suggestions. It’s educational and fun for adults and kids alike.
BearAware
This community-powered map helps outdoor enthusiasts stay informed about recent bear activity. Share and view real-time sightings to make safer decisions in bear country. The app works offline, allowing you to log observations even in remote locations.
- Live community map of bear sightings
- Offline recording of sightings
- Fast and simple reporting
- In-app bear safety guide
- Privacy-focused anonymous accounts
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The ultimate safety companion for hikers, campers, anglers, and anyone living or recreating in bear country. The BearAware is a community-powered map that helps you stay aware of recent bear activity to make smarter, safer decisions outdoors. Share and view sightings in real-time. By contributing your own observations, you help create a safer environment for both people and bears. Designed for the real world, our app works seamlessly offline, allowing you to log a sighting the moment it happens, no matter how remote your location. When you're back in cell range, your report automatically syncs to the community map. Key Features: • Live Community Map: See pins of recent grizzly sightings reported by a community of outdoor enthusiasts and residents. Know what's happening in your area before you head out. • Instant Offline Recording: No signal? No problem. The app saves your sighting with precise GPS data and uploads it automatically once you regain service. • Simple & Fast Reporting: Quickly log the date, time, location, and an optional comment with just a few taps. • Essential Bear Safety Guide: Brush up on crucial safety protocols and learn how to be "Bear Aware" with our easy-to-access in-app guide. • Privacy-Focused Community: We use anonymous accounts to protect your identity while allowing you to contribute valuable information to keep the community safe.
Screenshots
Verdict
Bear & Bells and BearAware both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of BearAware's written reviews are positive against 40% of Bear & Bells's. Bear & Bells's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, ratings volume 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.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Bear & Bells against 5.0 for BearAware. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 40% of Bear & Bells's written reviews are positive against 100% of BearAware's.
| Parameter | Bear & Bells | BearAware |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | — | Monthly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Peter Hornsby | Svetlana Morozov |
Customer experience
Bear & Bells
BearAware
In-app purchases
Bear & Bells
No in-app purchases
BearAware
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Bear & Bells free?
Is BearAware free?
Which has better reviews, Bear & Bells or BearAware?
Do Bear & Bells or BearAware have ads?
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