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Basecamp vs Bear

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

All industries

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Bear actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Bear differ
AttributeBasecampBear
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryAll industriesProductivity
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web), 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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Bear

Nothing recorded that Basecamp does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Bear
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Bear
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Bear
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot 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.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Bear

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bear review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.
Basecamp review

Choose Bear if

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

Bear review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Bear better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Bear at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Bear?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and On request for Bear.
Does Basecamp or Bear run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bear starts at On request.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Bear is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Bear cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files.
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Related pages

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