What is the SHINY FROG* BEAR charge?

Why it shows up like this

A charge listed as SHINY FROG* BEAR on your credit card or bank statement comes from Shiny Frog Ltd., an independent software development company based in Dublin, Ireland. This line item represents a Bear Pro Markdown Notes Subscription for the popular Bear writing and note-taking app on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. While the basic Bear app is free to download, the Pro tier requires a recurring paid upgrade to enable core cloud capabilities.

This charge appears either as a monthly payment of $2.99 or an annual renewal fee between $14.99 and $29.99. The most common trigger is an auto-renewing subscription managed through your Apple ID and the App Store. If you started a free trial to test cross-device iCloud synchronization, custom themes, or document exports to PDF and DOCX formats, the subscription automatically bills your payment method when the trial ends. It can also appear if another family member sharing your Apple payment account activated Bear Pro on their personal device.

To manage or cancel the recurring charge, open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name at the top, and select Subscriptions. On a Mac, open the App Store and click your profile icon in the bottom corner to access account settings. Selecting Bear Pro lets you turn off auto-renewal immediately. Canceling will not delete your data, as all existing notes remain stored safely on your local device without loss. If the charge was accidental or unauthorized, request a refund directly through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

Don’t recognize it? You might still

• An annual Bear Pro subscription auto-renewed through Apple App Store subscriptions.
• A free trial of Bear Pro ended, initiating the monthly or annual fee.
• A family member on Apple Family Sharing activated note sync on an iPad or iPhone.

What to do, in order

1. Open Apple Subscriptions On your iPhone or Mac, open Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions to view active in-app purchases.
2. Select Bear Pro Tap Bear: Markdown Notes to review renewal dates and pricing plans.
3. Cancel Subscription Tap Cancel Subscription to disable auto-renewal while keeping existing notes saved.

Quick questions

Dispute Rights & Fraud Prevention

If you see SHINY FROG* BEAR on your statement but do not use Bear, check with members of your family first. Shared Apple ID payment methods or Apple Family Sharing groups often allow household members to start app subscriptions that bill the primary cardholder without advance notice.

Because Shiny Frog Ltd. distributes Bear Pro through the Apple App Store, the developer cannot access your billing details or issue direct credit card refunds. You must submit refund requests through Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com within 60 to 90 days of the charge date. If your card was used without your knowledge and no one in your household recognizes the purchase, contact your card issuer to report fraudulent card activity and request a replacement card.

Verified sources

Every claim on this page is checked against official sources — open them to confirm before you call your bank.

• Bear Pro Pricing and Sync FAQ https://bear.app
• CFPB: Disputing Credit Card Charges https://www.consumerfinance.gov