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Design Tools · head to head

Affinity Designer vs Bear

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Design Tools

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Designer sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024); Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Designer and Bear actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Bear differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerBear
Starting price$69.99/one-timeOn request
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb
CategoryDesign ToolsProductivity
Founded1994Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Affinity Designer

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Gradient tools
  • Typography
  • Pixel-perfect editing
  • Artboards
  • Symbols
  • Non-destructive effects

Only in Bear

Nothing recorded that Affinity Designer does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Bear
  • Vector illustrationnot Bear
  • Icon designnot Bear
  • Brandingnot Bear

Bear

No use cases recorded yet. See the Bear review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Affinity Designer

  • Sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)

Bear

  • Built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client
  • Free tier is limited to 3 themes, 1 app icon and restricted export formats; iCloud sync requires Bear Pro
  • Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year after a 7 day free trial

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

$69.99/one-time
  • Standard$69.99/one-time
    • Full version
    • All features
    • Lifetime updates

Bear

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bear review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Designer if

  • You need vector drawing.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
  • You also want bezier tools.
Affinity Designer review

Choose Bear if

Nothing in the data separates Bear from Affinity Designer on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Bear review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Bear better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Bear at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Bear?
Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Bear at On request.
Does Affinity Designer or Bear run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Bear runs on Web.
What is Affinity Designer best used for?
Affinity Designer is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, branding. Of those, logo design and vector illustration are not what Bear is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Bear cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography.
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