# Personal Diary (Journal) App — user reviews > 183 indexed App Store user reviews of Personal Diary (Journal) App by Wern Jie Lim, rated 4.40/5 from 104 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/personal-diary-journal-app/id1052570257/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/personal-diary-journal-app/id1052570257.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 77 · 4★ 9 · 3★ 10 · 2★ 1 · 1★ 7 ## What do users think of Personal Diary (Journal) App? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 💻 Simple and easy to use - 🔒 Secure with passcode/Touch ID - 🌤️ Ability to track mood and weather - 📸 Option to add photos - 🔍 Useful search functionality - 🌟 Great for journaling and personal writing - 🆓 Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases **Cons** - 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues - 🗓️ Lack of calendar view to easily navigate entries - 🔍 Search functionality could be improved - 📁 Issues with syncing and backing up data - 🤖 Automatic mood/weather detection not always accurate **Commonly reported bugs** - Entries sometimes disappear or fail to load - Passcode/Touch ID not working reliably - Syncing issues between devices - Unexpected crashes when opening the app **Most requested features** - Add ability to password protect individual entries - Implement calendar view for better navigation - Allow adding videos and other media types - Improve search capabilities with advanced filters - Provide better data backup and export options ## Newest reviews (18 of 183) ### 3/5 — Decent but annoying *2025-11-17, version 3.0.14* It’s a good to use basic diary, just as I was looking for. It’s spoiled because when you turn off annoying helpers like spelling/double-dash changes (I prefer to get what I type, no more, no less) they automatically return to defaults shortly afterwards. ### 5/5 — My Favorite Diary *2024-08-21, version 3.0.11* This is the perfect diary. It’s simple, but powerful. It incorporates moods and weather. You can add searchable hashtags and photos. It has a calendar view. It allows you to have multiple diaries for different purposes. Thank you for this wonderful app! ### 5/5 — Such a wonderful diary app!! *2024-07-19, version 3.0.11* Please keep this in the store it is free and gives you all the things you need innone place. I love how simple it is and I loveee how it can be accessed through multiple devices which is something even Apples version of Journal doesnt do. So you can write from ipad, iphone, apple watch whatever on the go incase you dont have one device you will have another available to write quickly. It is amazing! ### 3/5 — Combine with iPhone as well as iPad *2024-06-06, version 3.0.11* Can it work with iPhone as well and I don’t have to worry about writing in it twice ### 5/5 — User friendly and simple. *2024-05-23, version 3.0.11* I have used Werner’s wonderful Journal for over 4 years, and love it. It is my sole journal/diary. I particularly love the ability to add photos. This way l am transferring all my decades old paper journals. Perfect for technophobes like me. ### 5/5 — The best free diary out there *2024-05-16, version 3.0.11* This is the best free diary App out there. It gets regular updates. Best of all it is is ad-free ### 5/5 — I LOVE THIS APP *2024-04-20, version 3.0.10* Got the app like 30 minutes ago, I went on it right away and type on the app. I gotta say there wasn’t much who got this app but I seen the top review and they said it’s a great app for a dairy, and they were right! This app is literally ad free?! Are you kidding me the developer is the best. I get to finally type my personal things on this app for my mental health and so much more. You can express your mood and the weather with emojis. You can even add your flies, photo or take a picture to add it on to the diary. You can even change the theme colors of your choice when you’re using dark mode and light mode, yes it has dark mode I’m really happy with this app. There’s so much more to it!! I will continue to be using this app just because I am very impressed! Thank you developer for this amazing Diary app you created. ### 5/5 — SOO GOOD HIGHLY RECCOMEND IT *2024-03-06, version 3.0.10* NO LAG NO PERCHASES!!! AMAZING ### 4/5 — Recent issue *2024-03-01, version 3.0.10* I have been using this great app for years (over 1400 entries now) and I love it. However, recently it now has a bug. When I load the app it goes through the process of loading all of my entries. When the progress bar is complete my phone turns off and restarts! Can this issue be resolved? I’m reluctant to delete and reinstall the app as I don’t want to lose my many entries and the app crashes (restarts my phone) before I have time to download a ZIP file. Please help! ### 5/5 — Can’t ask for more. *2024-01-29, version 3.0.10* Very nice and adding pictures makes it perfect! 6 stars out of 5! ### 5/5 — So far so good *2024-01-08, version 3.0.10* The real diary’s u write in are getting to much money I hope you don’t have ads or I will have to go back to it ### 5/5 — Delete *2024-01-01, version 3.0.10* How can I delete all my entries and start over? ### 4/5 — Great app not secure *2024-01-01, version 3.0.10* Great app. It’s simple. It’s not secure when you transfer phone to new phone. Somehow it removes the passcode and you automatically have access ### 5/5 — Been loving this app for a long time! *2023-12-26, version 3.0.10* I started using this app I-don't-know-how-many years ago when my husband's vascular dementia was beginning to take more control of his mind. I needed a safe, simple place to write down my feelings/thoughts/etc. that he couldn't gain access to. But I didn't want to pay for it. This app popped up in my search and I've been using it ever since. I liked that it's simple to use, easy to "lock", and even had some cute metadata and the ability to attach photos from my phone's photo app. My husband got his angel wings last year so I no longer need to worry about him somehow getting access to it; but I do still like using it, especially on my new-to-me iPhone 11 with the Face ID. I just hope it won't get wiped away with iOS17* updates. ### 3/5 — Could be so much better *2023-12-12, version 3.0.10* I do like that this app feels very Apple in its simplicity and aesthetic. I do not like that it is so constricting and does not give opportunity for creative expression the way I would expect a journal to. I have tried keeping a “journal” in my iCal before and this is no improvement to that even though it is an app designed specifically for that purpose. I would prefer it allowed you to edit the page like a PDF scrapbook. I want to hand write notes and doodles, add colors, drag and place stickers and images wherever, etc. Based on other descriptions, I thought this app would be a lot smarter. Why am I marking the weather with an emoji instead of importing some snapshot from the weather app that day? Or from my Fitness app? It would also benefit from a habit tracker. ### 5/5 — Just what I need *2023-12-11, version 3.0.10* I got this app to record my journey through Rheumatoid Arthritis I can dictate entries it is simple but excellent! ### 5/5 — Simplicity is best sometimes! *2023-11-04, version 3.0.9* Really love using this diary. I had one of the so called best diary programs before but had problems with figuring out how to use it. This one is beautiful in it's simplicity. Thanks! ### 5/5 — Great simple daily journal *2023-10-02, version 3.0.9* I've only used for a day ish but I am really enjoying it so far. The UI is clean and easy to use and allows me to easily track my current mood, thoughts, and plan out the day, The search feature and image insertion work well and allow me to quickly jump back into historical pages easily and with context. If you want a simple, free diary or journal from a reputable developer this might be the app for you. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Stuck in safe mode *2023-10-27, version 3.0.9* I’ve been using the journal for several years now very reliably and for some reason over the last few months it’s been stuck in safe mode. It’s become unusable. The one star rating is for it’s current status. In it’s original previous status it would be around a 4 star. I’m forced to consider changing my journals. ### 1/5 — Disappointed *2023-06-02, version 3.0.7* This was an awesome app but after the last update it now continously gives me an error message saying connect to ICoud storage and I already have. ### 1/5 — I wouldn’t bother! *2023-02-28, version 3.0.6* I just set my passcode, exited my diary and when I tried to unlock it I was told my passcode was incorrect, and to reset it I need to enter the code it tells me is incorrect! What a waste of time! I think I know my own passcode, hell I only just set it! ### 1/5 — Corrupted dates *2020-02-21, version 2.5.10* I have been using thus App for sometime and on a number of times the entries have had their dates erroneously changed. It has happened again today. The App is unreliable, so I have decided to discontinue using it. ### 1/5 — I hate this app *2020-02-15, version 2.5.10* I don’t like this app because I can’t write anything and all it focus on is emojis and the weather and time and date ### 1/5 — Crashes *2019-11-07, version 2.5.1* I have just updated to latest version and it keeps crashing all the time. It’s completely useless and unusable as it stands, all entries not accessible, and safe mode does not work to fix it. Why release such an unstable update, don’t you actually check to ensure that it is stable? ### 1/5 — Help! *2019-03-31, version 2.4.27* Love the app but now I cannot get in it. ### 1/5 — Erase all my text😡 *2018-02-11, version 2.4.5* This app would be great if it does what it supposed to do. I wrote my text and the next day when I try to write a new one, the new page just overwrite the first one. Wow! This is so stupid! 🤬 So you can only keep one page and never add new one! The app goes directly to the trash! ### 1/5 — Terrible *2016-02-24, version 2.0* This is a terrible app. I thought it was very nice, then I continually had to turn off my device in order to open it. Sometimes I can open and close the app. More often than not I have to power off my device each time I open it I spent hours coping and pasting all odd the info to an app that works AWFUL Now, thankfully, I cam delete this app ### 2/5 — Everything resetted? *2023-10-20, version 3.0.9* I have been using this app for atleast 2 years and i havnt been on it for a few months. Today i went on it and everything was gone😭 i had so much from it idk how this happened please respond😭 ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Well done *2026-06-25, version 3.0.14* So good I’ve tipped twice. ### 5/5 — Awesome app *2026-05-12, version 3.0.14* I’ve been using this app for I think 5+ years. It’s very important to me. I love the emojis and honestly the simplicity. I use it almost every day! Thank you for this app!!! ### 5/5 — The best journal/diary app *2026-01-19, version 3.0.14* It’s absolutely perfect for simply writing down your thoughts like a journal. It has lots of settings so you can adjust the app to how you prefer, for example I removed the weather and emotion icons, so it’s literally just text. It has no ads, no subscriptions, no annoying or cluttered UI. I didn’t want to donate, so this felt like the next best thing to do. I absolutely love this app. Thank you for making it. ### 5/5 — Simple *2025-06-08, version 3.0.14* Great app. Simple to use ### 5/5 — Exactly as expected *2025-03-12, version 3.0.14* keep up the good work king ### 5/5 — Love it *2025-02-11, version 3.0.14* I love how simple and easy to use. ### 5/5 — Excellent *2025-02-03, version 3.0.14* Have to say this diary is superb. It’s not overwhelming and has just enough customisation needed. Have now made this my every day journal and got rid of a few in favour of this. Credit to the developer. ### 5/5 — A Little Gem *2025-01-27, version 3.0.14* This is a clever, well thought out app that I use for multiple date focused information storage collections, as the app can support more than one diary/journal. I am very pleased to discover this free app and was happy to contribute a donation to recognise the work. In a world often driven by subscriptions these days, it is refreshing to discover little gems that are free yet worth some reward. ### 5/5 — W *2025-01-16, version 3.0.14* Thank you so much for this app. A always needed a simple and easy diary. Only one thing. Pls and something to make you want to right your diary. Like a streak or something. But overall I love simple so this is awesome. ### 5/5 — Perfect *2024-10-25, version 3.0.11* Personal Diary works seamlessly across phone, iPad Air and Mac. Nothing superfluous, just does the job unobtrusively. Scribble functionality is an asset. I also applaud the export as PDF. Quietly very special! --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-18.*