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MoodSync

MoodSync vs Bearable: bipolar mood tracker or chronic-illness tracker?

1 min read · Sources last checked: May 2026 · Editorial comparison, not affiliate.

TL;DR

Choose MoodSync if you want bipolar-first scales and a fast daily tap, without configuring symptoms.

Choose Bearable if you have a chronic illness and want to track mood as one factor among many.

  • 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

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.

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
  • 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, calendar your clinician can read. 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 free to download and use, with an optional Pro tier that unlocks deeper history and analytics. Bearable is also free with a separate Premium subscription.

Sources

  1. Young RC, Biggs JT, Ziegler VE, Meyer DA (1978). A rating scale for mania: reliability, validity and sensitivity, British Journal of Psychiatry. link
  2. Harvey AG (2008). Sleep and circadian rhythms in bipolar disorder: seeking synchrony, harmony, and regulation, American Journal of Psychiatry. link
  3. Faurholt-Jepsen M, Frost M, Vinberg M, et al. (2015). Smartphone-based self-monitoring in bipolar disorder: an RCT, JAMA Psychiatry. link