It's more a full blown, fully customizable writing app targeted at writers. Using it only for notes is probably not doing it justice.
In any way, my point is, I personally rather pay a price and own the piece of software than renting an app. In the case of Ulysses, I can still use the same version that I currently own in 10 years even if the company behind it goes out of business (given it will still run on our machines that we use at that point) + updates until the next paid upgrade (if that happens). I am not locked into a sync solution and can freely switch from iCloud to Dropbox to <other folder sync technology> to make it future proof.
Bear on the other hand is even more uncertain. Sure, the subscription is helping the developer to keep the app running but once I stop paying that, I will loose crucial features. Also a subscription doesn't guarantee that something unexpected will happen to Shinyfrog (the company behind it).
