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Fast and uncluttered word processor.

4.6
Based on 208 user ratesRead reviews & comments
Free
Absolutely Free

Bean overview

Bean is no longer being actively developed, but will be updated as necessary to patch bugs and maintain OS X compatibility

Bean is lean, fast, and uncluttered. If you get depressed at the thought of firing up MS Word or OpenOffice, try Bean.

If you use Text Edit but have to jump through hoops just to get a word count or change the margins, try Bean.

If you're pining away for Write Now-esque simplicity or just want a low-pressure writing environment, try Bean.

Features:
  • A live word count
  • A Get Info panel for in-depth statistics
  • A zoom-slider to easily change the view scale
  • An Inspector panel with lots of sliders
  • Date-stamped backups
  • Autosaving
  • A page layout mode
  • An alternate colors option (e.g., white text on blue)
  • An option to show invisible characters (tabs, returns, spaces)
  • Selection of text by text style, paragraph style, color, etc.
  • A floating windows option (like Stickies has)
  • Easy to use menus
  • Remembers cursor postion (excluding .txt, .html, .webarchive formats)
  • All of Cocoa's good stuff (dictionary, word completion, etc.)
  • Please keep in mind that Bean is betaware

What’s new in version 3.6.2

Updated on Dec 14 2023

Changes
  • A new text insertion point indicator is used on macOS 14 Sonoma, the color of which is set in System Settings > Appearance > Accent color (20230928-1).
Bugfixes
  • Fixed a bug on macOS 14 Sonoma where Bean would crash when selecting View > Show Layout for a one page document (20231010-1).
  • Fixed a problem on macOS 14 Sonoma where the Edit > Word Completion command did not give the user a chance to select a completion item from the drop down menu (20231013-1).
Notes
  • On macOS 14 Sonoma, using Edit > Word Completion when an inline suggestion is already visible will cause Bean to become unstable and crash. Apple's TextEdit.app has this problem as well (FB13265627).
View older Bean updates

Information

License

Free

Size

8 MB

Downloads

289882

App requirements

  • Intel 64
  • Apple Silicon
  • macOS 10.13 or later
Try our new feature and write a detailed review about Bean. All reviews will be posted soon.

What customer like

Performance
Price
Design

What needs improvements

Social media integration
Customization

Bean qualities

Value
5.0
Ease of use
5.0
Features
5.0
Reliability
5.0
Customer support
5.0

Write your thoughts in our old-fashioned comment

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0.0

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  • Comments

  • User Ratings

Marc-Estrin
Marc-Estrin
Aug 1 2023
3.6.0
5.0
Aug 1 2023
5.0
Version: 3.6.0
like the old days, before bloat was born. Trim, muscular, go-to-it. (Nice Icon too. Stands out in the dock.)
Aargl
Aargl
Dec 21 2022
3.5.0
5.0
Dec 21 2022
5.0
Version: 3.5.0
My default .rtf (and more) editor for a decade now! It also has the ability to edit .webarchive files! Whenever I need to keep note of anything I use it. Thanks to the dev!
Macfoto
Macfoto
Aug 30 2021
3.4.5
2.0
Aug 30 2021
2.0
Version: 3.4.5
Why does Bean always swallow the first letter of a word at the beginning of a sentence? Bad.
Id-Ego-SuperEgo
Id-Ego-SuperEgo
Nov 28 2020
3.3.4
0.0
Nov 28 2020
0.0
Version: 3.3.4
A lovely app. Feels good to see free software that's not actively developed anymore, undergo bug fixes and compatibility updates. Bean has been very reliable so far. The UI elements are beautiful and worth gracing a Mac screen and running under the delightful macOS / OS X / Mac OS X; the app has support for tabs; compatibility with Word, etc. appears to be close to impeccable. The app, like many a quality old Mac software & all verisons of OS X, has also a nostalgic value, as it is over 13 years old. For us old Mac OS X aficionados, the nostalgic factor isn't unimportant, either (I find that to date there's no OS UI that comes even remotely close to comparing to Mac OS X (and now macOS) in beauty and user experience polish, with a possible exception of the Elementary OS, the second handsomest OS I know of).
Guass
Guass
Sep 29 2020
3.3.3
5.0
Sep 29 2020
5.0
Version: 3.3.3
OK, it's not my first comment about Bean. But I feel every time astonished of how an application yet almost perfect (fast, uncluttered, with all necessary features to write almost any text, available also in my language) has still regular updates with not only bug fixes or compatibility maintenance but also with changes and features, while "no longer being actively developed". I think a lot of developers of still "actively developed" apps should learn from the creator of Bean. Thanks for the great work, I say it once again, 90% of the time I need to write a text on my Mac, I find myself opening Bean (and I have actually installed at least other 4 word processors and two or three text editors).
AnnL7456
AnnL7456
Jun 22 2020
3.3.0
3.0
Jun 22 2020
3.0
Version: 3.3.0
[About v3.2.13 = High Sierra] A nice and cute word processor for people who don't have high writing aspirations. No section breaks, no automatic Table of Contents, no bookmarks, no cross-references and no footnotes or endnotes. This also means, if you open a document with footnotes in Bean, all footnotes will simply disappear. And if you then, in a short moment of distraction, save the document in Bean, all footnotes will be gone forever. Opening the document again in the original application will not bring back your footnotes. No chance. Some nice features I was surprised to find here: Split Window, Right to Left direction (for Arabic, Hebrew, Farsi), and the possibility to view 4 pages simultaneously. If you need a powerful full-featured word processor, I recommend Nisus Writer Pro.
Ok14me21
Ok14me21
Jun 21 2020
3.3.0
5.0
Jun 21 2020
5.0
Version: 3.3.0
Just the Best for Mac
Annie-Walker
Annie-Walker
Apr 27 2020
3.2.16
5.0
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.16
Best and favorite text editor. I don't have anything negative to say about this application. I wish to thank James Hoover for keeping his program up & running all these years! Sorry to see that it will no longer be in development, but very grateful to see how gracious James is being by "maintaining" Bean. One of the most appreciated & respected developers in the Mac world.
r-owen
r-owen
Apr 27 2020
3.2.16
5.0
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.16
Simple, easy to use, and surprisingly powerful. Yes there are word processors that can do more, but I don't need the extra features and much prefer the elegant simplicity of Bean.
John-Keogh
John-Keogh
Apr 2 2020
3.2.15
5.0
Apr 2 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.15
Great! Minimum requirement for the latest version 3.2.15 is now macOS 10.14 according to the readme file in the download.
Guass
Guass
Apr 2 2020
3.2.15
5.0
Apr 2 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.15
Some years ago developer said he would stop the development and since then... regular updates to keep the app compatible with latest versions of MacOS and to fix bugs. And this without asking a cent to users. Much more than what we get with applications still in "active development". Great developer and great application, the only one I always open when I have any text to write. Thank you for the perfect job!
Ok14me21
Ok14me21
Mar 13 2020
3.2.14
5.0
Mar 13 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.14
Bean is a Diamond!
Penguirl
Penguirl
Jan 28 2020
3.2.13
5.0
Jan 28 2020
5.0
Version: 3.2.13
My favorite rich text app by far, I will continue to use it until it won't work anymore. Thank you developer for your fine software for all these years.
danger-frog
danger-frog
Jul 18 2019
3.2.13
5.0
Jul 18 2019
5.0
Version: 3.2.13
a terrific little program. a bit ugly but oh so useful!
cubanpete
cubanpete
Jun 21 2019
3.2.13
5.0
Jun 21 2019
5.0
Version: 3.2.13
It's alive !!! My heart sank like a rock when it wouldn't work properly anymore after the update to Mojave. But I found it's still alive thanks to its developer.... For one of the best and most indispensable apps for the Mac and the continuous effort by the developer I say THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Now me, I love this app to death. ? ? ? That's why I'm so glad it got a new lease on life....
Beamy
Beamy
May 4 2019
3.2.13
5.0
May 4 2019
5.0
Version: 3.2.13
Bean is great ! I like it a lot ! Thank you ! .
Sergesouszero
Sergesouszero
May 3 2019
3.2.13
5.0
May 3 2019
5.0
Version: 3.2.13
Thanks to the dev for maintaining Bean alive. I’ve never needed (and still never need) fancy text editors. Bean is perfect for the job.
Paddy51
Paddy51
Nov 3 2018
3.2.12
5.0
Nov 3 2018
5.0
Version: 3.2.12
Great to have Bean back.Simple, easy to use yet full of great features.
Ok14me21
Ok14me21
Nov 2 2018
3.2.12
5.0
Nov 2 2018
5.0
Version: 3.2.12
The Best Text Program for Mac!
Localboy56
Localboy56
Sep 28 2018
3.2.11
5.0
Sep 28 2018
5.0
Version: 3.2.11
Thanks for maintaining Bean! I still use it all the time and dread the day an OS update will break it.
Volcanus
Volcanus
Dec 15 2023
3.6.2
5.0
Dec 15 2023
5.0
Version: 3.6.2
Derekcurrie
Derekcurrie
Dec 14 2023
3.6.2
4.0
Dec 14 2023
4.0
Version: 3.6.2
Gary1999
Gary1999
Oct 28 2023
3.6.1
5.0
Oct 28 2023
5.0
Version: 3.6.1
Marc-Estrin
Marc-Estrin
Aug 1 2023
3.6.0
5.0
Aug 1 2023
5.0
Version: 3.6.0
zlazkow
zlazkow
Jun 28 2023
3.5.1
5.0
Jun 28 2023
5.0
Version: 3.5.1
Lightning
Lightning
Feb 28 2023
3.5.1
5.0
Feb 28 2023
5.0
Version: 3.5.1
enriqueapolinar
enriqueapolinar
Jan 22 2023
3.5.0
5.0
Jan 22 2023
5.0
Version: 3.5.0
Swaters
Swaters
Dec 29 2021
3.4.6
4.0
Dec 29 2021
4.0
Version: 3.4.6
daveyarddave
daveyarddave
Dec 23 2021
3.4.6
4.0
Dec 23 2021
4.0
Version: 3.4.6
firewall00110
firewall00110
Dec 23 2021
3.4.6
5.0
Dec 23 2021
5.0
Version: 3.4.6
Macfoto
Macfoto
Aug 30 2021
3.4.5
2.0
Aug 30 2021
2.0
Version: 3.4.5
Aetnaria
Aetnaria
Jun 15 2021
3.4.4
5.0
Jun 15 2021
5.0
Version: 3.4.4
mandjholmes
mandjholmes
Jun 3 2021
3.4.3
5.0
Jun 3 2021
5.0
Version: 3.4.3
pfuzerharry
pfuzerharry
May 13 2021
3.4.2
4.0
May 13 2021
4.0
Version: 3.4.2
Ok14me21
Ok14me21
Jan 21 2021
5.0
Jan 21 2021
5.0
Version: null
heijmeens
heijmeens
Oct 19 2020
4.0
Oct 19 2020
4.0
Version: null
Sergesouszero
Sergesouszero
Sep 29 2020
5.0
Sep 29 2020
5.0
Version: null
Guass
Guass
Sep 29 2020
5.0
Sep 29 2020
5.0
Version: null
LuisM
LuisM
Aug 10 2020
5.0
Aug 10 2020
5.0
Version: null
AnnL7456
AnnL7456
Jun 22 2020
3.0
Jun 22 2020
3.0
Version: null
pontus-holminge
pontus-holminge
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Version: null
Annie-Walker
Annie-Walker
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Version: null
r-owen
r-owen
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Apr 27 2020
5.0
Version: null
John-Keogh
John-Keogh
Apr 2 2020
5.0
Apr 2 2020
5.0
Version: null
Penguirl
Penguirl
Jan 28 2020
5.0
Jan 28 2020
5.0
Version: null
Bento de Espinosa
Bento de Espinosa
Jul 24 2019
5.0
Jul 24 2019
5.0
Version: null
danger-frog
danger-frog
Jul 18 2019
5.0
Jul 18 2019
5.0
Version: null
cubanpete
cubanpete
Jun 21 2019
5.0
Jun 21 2019
5.0
Version: null
aka
aka
May 12 2019
5.0
May 12 2019
5.0
Version: null
DJSquint
DJSquint
May 5 2019
5.0
May 5 2019
5.0
Version: null
Beamy
Beamy
May 4 2019
5.0
May 4 2019
5.0
Version: null
Paddy51
Paddy51
Nov 3 2018
5.0
Nov 3 2018
5.0
Version: null
jaquim9326
jaquim9326
Jul 21 2018
4.0
Jul 21 2018
4.0
Version: null
pbnmrc
pbnmrc
Jan 15 2018
5.0
Jan 15 2018
5.0
Version: null
Tom-Fulery
Tom-Fulery
Jan 13 2018
5.0
Jan 13 2018
5.0
Version: null
jefferis
jefferis
Jan 4 2018
5.0
Jan 4 2018
5.0
Version: null
Dr-Sparks
Dr-Sparks
Nov 10 2017
5.0
Nov 10 2017
5.0
Version: null
PRjohnson
PRjohnson
Nov 20 2016
5.0
Nov 20 2016
5.0
Version: null
Amergin
Amergin
Nov 17 2016
5.0
Nov 17 2016
5.0
Version: null
Max-G
Max-G
Oct 20 2016
4.5
Oct 20 2016
4.5
Version: null
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Absolutely Free
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