Bear vs Shortwave
Bear and Shortwave are both Productivity tools in our directory. This side-by-side comparison covers pricing, user ratings, supported platforms, key features and open-source status so you can decide which one fits your needs.
Side-by-side comparison
| Attribute | Bear | Shortwave |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Shiny Frog | Shortwave |
| Rating | ★ 4.6 | ★ 4.5 |
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS | Web, Desktop, Mobile |
| Key features | Pretty Markdown, Tags, Light AI rewrite | AI summaries and drafts in Gmail, Bundles and shortcuts, Gmail-native, not a new mail stack |
| Headquarters | Parma, Italy | San Francisco, USA |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| Open source | No | No |
Key differences
- Bear has a higher user rating (4.6★ vs 4.5★).
- Both Bear and Shortwave use a Freemium model.
- Bear runs on macOS, iOS; Shortwave runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bear or Shortwave better?
By user rating, Bear scores higher (4.6★ vs 4.5★). Both are capable Productivity tools, so review the feature comparison for your use case.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Shortwave?
Both Bear and Shortwave use a Freemium pricing model.
Are Bear and Shortwave open source?
No — neither Bear nor Shortwave is open source.