Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Harvest

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Harvest logo

Harvest

Consulting

Time tracking software for teams that care about where their time goes

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Harvest has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Harvest the free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear and Harvest actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear and Harvest differ
AttributeBearHarvest
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
CategoryProductivityConsulting
FoundedUnknown2006

Identical on both: 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 Bear

Nothing recorded that Harvest does not also cover.

Only in Harvest

  • Time tracking
  • Expense tracking
  • Invoicing
  • Project budgets
  • Team capacity
  • Detailed reports
  • Mobile apps
  • Browser extension

What people use each for

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

Bear

No use cases recorded yet. See the Bear review.

Harvest

  • Time tracking against projects and clientsnot Bear
  • Turning tracked time into invoicesnot Bear
  • Expense capture alongside billable hoursnot Bear
  • Team capacity and utilisation reporting on the paid plansnot Bear
  • Feeding billed time into QuickBooks or Xeronot Bear

Where each one falls short

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

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

Harvest

  • The free plan is one seat and two projects, so it suits a solo freelancer and nothing larger
  • Team reporting and unlimited projects require the Teams plan at $9 per seat per month
  • Profitability reporting, timesheet approvals and custom reports need Enterprise at $14 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on is Enterprise only
  • QuickBooks, Xero and Stripe integrations are withheld from the free plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bear review.

Harvest

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Harvest review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Bear if

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

Bear review

Choose Harvest if

  • You need time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
Harvest review

Questions people ask

Is Bear or Harvest better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at On request and Harvest at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Harvest?
Harvest has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Bear and Free for Harvest.
Does Bear or Harvest run on more platforms?
Bear runs on Web. Harvest runs on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android.
Can I use Harvest for free?
Yes. Harvest has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Bear starts at On request.
What can Bear do that Harvest cannot?
Harvest covers Time tracking, Expense tracking, Invoicing, Project budgets.
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