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Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Mealime

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Mealime logo

Mealime

Productivity

Freemium meal planning app that suggests simple recipes and builds a grocery list, subscription for full customisation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Mealime its recipe library is its own and deliberately simple, so it does not accommodate importing or organising an existing personal recipe collection the way Paprika does.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bear and Mealime actually diverge.

Attributes where Bear and Mealime differ
AttributeBearMealime
Pricing modelfreemiumFreemium subscription
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

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 Mealime does not also cover.

Only in Mealime

  • Personalised weekly meal plans
  • Consolidated grocery list
  • Simple recipe library
  • Recipe swapping
  • Dietary filters
  • Grocery delivery integration

What people use each for

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

Bear

  • Note-taking with document scanningnot Mealime
  • Cross-device note synchronizationnot Mealime

Mealime

  • Someone who finds deciding what to cook each week more tiring than the cooking itselfnot Bear
  • A household with specific dietary restrictions wanting meal suggestions pre-filtered to fit themnot Bear
  • A beginner cook who wants simple, short-ingredient recipes rather than an open-ended personal collectionnot Bear
  • Someone who wants a grocery list generated automatically from a week of planned meals without manual entrynot 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

Mealime

  • Its recipe library is its own and deliberately simple, so it does not accommodate importing or organising an existing personal recipe collection the way Paprika does.
  • The free tier limits customisation and recipe swaps, pushing habitual users toward the paid Pro subscription for a fuller experience.
  • Recipes lean toward quick, mainstream weeknight cooking, so someone wanting more ambitious or cuisine-specific recipes will find the library thin.
  • Grocery delivery integration is only available in supported markets, so users outside those regions get the grocery list without the delivery convenience.
  • Because meal suggestions come from the Mealime catalogue rather than the wider web, variety is narrower than a service like Paprika that can import from anywhere.

Pricing, plan by plan

Bear

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Local note access
    • Document scanning
    • PDF, image, text, markdown, HTML, DOCX, ePub export
  • Pro$2.99/month
    • All free features plus 28+ themes
    • 15 app icons
    • PDF and image search across notes
  • Pro$29.99/year
    • All free features plus 28+ themes
    • 15 app icons
    • PDF and image search across notes

Mealime

Free
  • MealimeFree
    • Basic weekly meal plan generation
    • Consolidated grocery list
  • Mealime Pro$5.99/month
    • More recipe swaps and customisation
    • Nutrition tracking
    • Larger recipe library access

Which should you pick?

Choose Bear if

  • You want to start without paying.
Bear review

Choose Mealime if

  • You need personalised weekly meal plans.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want consolidated grocery list.
Mealime review

Questions people ask

Is Bear or Mealime better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at Free and Mealime at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Mealime?
Bear starts at Free and Mealime at Free.
Does Bear or Mealime run on more platforms?
Bear runs on Web. Mealime runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Bear for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bear best used for?
Bear is most often used for note-taking with document scanning, cross-device note synchronization. Of those, note-taking with document scanning and cross-device note synchronization are not what Mealime is typically brought in for.
What can Bear do that Mealime cannot?
Mealime covers Personalised weekly meal plans, Consolidated grocery list, Simple recipe library, Recipe swapping.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bear: Does Bear offer a free plan?

Yes, Bear has a free plan with local note access, document scanning, and export to multiple formats, but without iCloud sync or PDF/image search.

Source
Mealime: Is Mealime free?

There is a free tier with basic weekly plans; a paid Pro subscription unlocks more customisation and nutrition tracking.

Bear: How much does Bear Pro cost?

Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year. The yearly plan offers approximately 15% savings compared to monthly billing.

Source
Mealime: Can I add my own recipes to Mealime?

No, it works from its own recipe library rather than importing external recipes, unlike Paprika.

Bear: Is there a free trial for Bear Pro?

Yes, Bear Pro includes a 7-day free trial before charging begins.

Source
Mealime: Does it integrate with grocery delivery?

Yes, in supported markets, generated grocery lists can be sent to a delivery or pickup service such as Instacart.

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