MoodSyncMoodSync vs Bearable: bipolar mood tracker or chronic-illness tracker?
2 min read · Sources last checked: May 2026 · Editorial comparison, not affiliate.
TL;DR
Choose MoodSync if you want bipolar-first scales, a fast daily tap from your phone or your wrist, and a clinician PDF report — without configuring symptoms.
Choose Bearable if you have a chronic illness and want to track mood as one factor among many.
| Feature | MoodSync | Bearable |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Bipolar, BPD, anxiety mood tracking | Chronic-illness symptom tracking with mood added |
| Bipolar-specific axes | Depression, elevation, irritability, anxiety as separate 0–3 scales | Configurable; not bipolar-first by default |
| Setup time | Open and start | Custom symptom and factor setup recommended |
| Sleep tracking | Built in, plotted with mood | Built in, plotted with selected factors |
| Medication tracking | Daily 'meds taken' toggle on every entry | First-class, expansive (custom symptoms and factors) |
| Data storage | On device, with optional private iCloud sync | Cloud sync available |
| Free tier | Free, with an optional Pro tier | Free + Bearable Premium subscription |
| Apple Watch appWatch data reaches Bearable through Apple Health sync, not a dedicated Watch app | ||
| Home & Lock Screen widgets | ||
| Apple Health sleep autofillMoodSync writes sleep hours into each day's entry automatically, including past nights | Syncs Apple Health and Fitbit data | |
| Clinician PDF reportBearable's listing mentions exporting data for doctor visits but does not name a PDF report | Unclear |
Primary use case
- MoodSync
- Bipolar, BPD, anxiety mood tracking
- Bearable
- Chronic-illness symptom tracking with mood added
Bipolar-specific axes
- MoodSync
- Depression, elevation, irritability, anxiety as separate 0–3 scales
- Bearable
- Configurable; not bipolar-first by default
Setup time
- MoodSync
- Open and start
- Bearable
- Custom symptom and factor setup recommended
Sleep tracking
- MoodSync
- Built in, plotted with mood
- Bearable
- Built in, plotted with selected factors
Medication tracking
- MoodSync
- Daily 'meds taken' toggle on every entry
- Bearable
- First-class, expansive (custom symptoms and factors)
Data storage
- MoodSync
- On device, with optional private iCloud sync
- Bearable
- Cloud sync available
Free tier
- MoodSync
- Free, with an optional Pro tier
- Bearable
- Free + Bearable Premium subscription
Apple Watch app
Watch data reaches Bearable through Apple Health sync, not a dedicated Watch app
- MoodSync
- Bearable
Home & Lock Screen widgets
- MoodSync
- Bearable
Apple Health sleep autofill
MoodSync writes sleep hours into each day's entry automatically, including past nights
- MoodSync
- Bearable
- Syncs Apple Health and Fitbit data
Clinician PDF report
Bearable's listing mentions exporting data for doctor visits but does not name a PDF report
- MoodSync
- Bearable
- Unclear
Bearable is a strong app, just not built around bipolar disorder. It was made for people managing chronic illness who wanted a mood field. MoodSync is the inverse.
Where Bearable shines
If you have a complex chronic illness (pain, fatigue, GI symptoms, autoimmune flares), Bearable's configurable factors and detailed correlation analysis are genuinely useful. The premium tier makes the correlation work meaningfully. It also syncs data in from Apple Health and Fitbit, which suits the many-signals problem it was built for.
Where Bearable falls short for bipolar
A configurable mood field is not the same as built-in clinical scales for depression, elevation, irritability, and anxiety. Mania has been measured on its own scale since 1978 for a reason1978: it does not live on the same axis as depression. A general mood field lets you set up something close, but you have to do that work yourself.
Sleep is tracked in Bearable, and it can be plotted against the factors you choose. For bipolar disorder, sleep often precedes mood shifts2008, and seeing that connection requires the analysis to be wired up by default. MoodSync does that wiring for you.
Where MoodSync goes further (for bipolar)
- Bipolar scales are the default, not a configuration
- A daily flow short enough to sustain — what smartphone-monitoring research finds people keep doing2015
- An Apple Watch app and Home and Lock Screen widgets; Bearable's listing has neither, and its Watch data arrives through Apple Health rather than a Watch app
- Sleep hours auto-filled from Apple Health, including past nights you didn't log
- A clinician PDF report; Bearable's listing mentions data export for doctor visits but does not name a PDF report
- Mood values stay on your device, with optional private iCloud sync
The trade-off
Bearable is built around configurable chronic-illness symptoms. MoodSync is built around the bipolar visit — clinical scales, sleep–mood, meds toggle, a calendar your clinician can read, and a PDF report to hand over. If bipolar disorder is the reason you're tracking, MoodSync fits more directly.
Adjacent reading
FAQ
Is Bearable good for bipolar disorder?
Bearable was built for chronic-illness symptom tracking and added mood logging on top. It can be configured to track bipolar-relevant axes, but the setup is heavier and the app does not separate depression, elevation, irritability, and anxiety as first-class scales the way a bipolar-first tracker does.
Is MoodSync free like Bearable's free tier?
Yes. MoodSync is a free download. The optional MoodSync Pro tier is $4.99/month or $29.99/year and unlocks deeper history and analytics. Bearable is also free with a separate Premium subscription.
Sources
- Young RC, Biggs JT, Ziegler VE, Meyer DA (1978). A rating scale for mania: reliability, validity and sensitivity, British Journal of Psychiatry. link
- Harvey AG (2008). Sleep and circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder: seeking synchrony, harmony, and regulation, American Journal of Psychiatry. link
- Faurholt-Jepsen M, Frost M, Vinberg M, et al. (2015). Smartphone-based self-monitoring in bipolar disorder: an RCT, JAMA Psychiatry. link