Comparison

SolarWriter vs Bebop

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

Head to head
About

SolarWriter

Transform your e-reader into a portable typewriter for outdoor writing. This app connects your keyboard to your e-reader's screen, allowing you to type comfortably on e-ink displays in bright sunlight. Save and share your work easily.

Highlights
  • E-reader integration
  • External keyboard support
  • Outdoor writing on e-ink screens
  • Text mirroring to e-reader
  • File saving and sharing
  • Detailed setup instructions
Features
Read full description

Traditional screens are fantastic everywhere but outside, especially on a sunny day. E-ink screens work well, but e-readers like the Kindle are difficult to type on and don't support external keyboards. SolarWriter gives you the best of both worlds. SolarWriter runs on your iOS device and acts as a hub between your keyboard and your e-reader. You type on the keyboard, and the text appears on both on the iOS device and on the e-reader's screen (via its web browser). Take advantage of your Kindle's (or other e-reader's) e-ink screen to put your thoughts on paper even outside, with no need to transcribe later. Write at parks, on beaches, in backyards... anywhere you wanted to but couldn't. Save files on your device, or share through email, SMS, and more. Detailed instructions for setup are included inside the app.

About

Bebop

This app prioritizes speed and simplicity for capturing ideas as plain text. It offers seamless cloud syncing and integration with other apps, allowing for a clutter-free, capture-first mobile editing experience. Advanced features and customization are available through a one-time upgrade.

Highlights
  • Lightning-fast plain text capture
  • Clutter-free interface
  • iCloud Drive/Dropbox sync
  • Open plain-text formats (.txt, .md)
  • Customizable headers, footers, filenames
  • Flashback recent notes
  • Share extension for saving content
Features
Read full description

Bebop helps you get down your ideas, fast. It assumes that review and organization are better done on larger screens—that a mobile text editor should be lightning-fast, clutter-free, and capture-first. • No ads, no logins, no tracking: Files are synced natively to your chosen iCloud Drive or Dropbox folder • BYOMA (Bring Your Own MacOS App): Open plain-text formats like .txt and .md/markdown plug neatly into Obsidian • Custom headers, footers, and filename formats: To work with your workflow • Flashback notes: Cycle through recent notes with a single tap • Share extension: Quickly save links and text from other iOS apps • Widgets and shortcut: Launch Bebop in any number of ways • Unlimited notes (even for free users) For a one-time Pro upgrade (no subscriptions!) you’ll also get color themes, custom templating, power-user settings, and help support future development. --- Bebop is made by Jack Cheng, an author and solo developer in Detroit, Michigan. More info and privacy policy: https://www.jackcheng.com/bebop/ * Dropbox sync requires you to have the Dropbox iOS app installed.

Screenshots

SolarWriter3 screens
Bebop4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Bebop at 4.9 against SolarWriter's 3.8. Bebop also leads on review sentiment (95% vs 64%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). SolarWriter's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SolarWriter sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Bebop sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bebop holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 43 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of SolarWriter's written reviews are positive against 95% of Bebop's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SolarWriter ships an update every 5 months, Bebop every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SolarWriter versus Bebop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolarWriterBebop
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (16 ratings)4.9 (43 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews95.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1643 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size92 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCool S, LLCJack Cheng LLC

Customer experience

SolarWriter

All ratings16 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral6.3%
Negative18.8%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative28.6%

Bebop

All ratings35 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral2.9%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive95.5%
Neutral4.5%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

SolarWriter

One-time1
  • SolarWriter Pro$9.99
1 purchases

Bebop

One-time1
  • Pro Upgrade$4.99

Questions

Is SolarWriter free?
SolarWriter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bebop free?
Bebop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SolarWriter or Bebop?
Bebop is rated higher. SolarWriter averages 3.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Bebop averages 4.9 from 43 ratings.
Do SolarWriter or Bebop have ads?
Neither SolarWriter nor Bebop shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SolarWriter or Bebop?
SolarWriter ships an update every 5 months, and Bebop every 3 weeks. Most recently, SolarWriter was updated on September 10, 2026 and Bebop on September 23, 2026.

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