# Moodnotes vs Serene

Moodnotes and Serene both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Serene's written reviews are positive against 65% of Moodnotes's. Moodnotes's advantage is ratings volume (11K vs 3) and update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Moodnotes sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Serene sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Moodnotes against 4.7 for Serene. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Moodnotes has 11K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of Moodnotes's written reviews are positive against 100% of Serene's.

Moodnotes ships an update every 4 weeks, Serene every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Moodnotes | Serene |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moodnotes-mood-tracker/id1019230398/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serene-practice-self-care/id1512561442/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 65.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 146 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mosaic S.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/570748343) | [Amrezo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787939061) |

## What reviewers say

### Moodnotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moodnotes-mood-tracker/id1019230398)

This app helps you track your mood, identify triggers, and improve your thinking habits using principles of cognitive behavior therapy. It offers tools for self-awareness, reducing anxiety, and developing healthier perspectives for increased well-being.

**Highlights:** Track mood and identify triggers, Automatic face scanning for mood capture, Journaling with photos and notes, Self-awareness articles by experts, Develop healthier thinking habits, Reduce anxiety and enhance well-being

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Moodnotes Pro | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Moodnotes Pro - Free Trial | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Month | $9.99 | per month |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $29.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $34.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $39.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Pro - Free Trial | $69.99 | per year |
| Moodnotes Premium 1 Year | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Quick mood logging
- 💡 Helpful CBT techniques
- 📊 Insightful data and analytics
- 🙌 Transformative for mental health

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free features
- 🔁 Repetitive prompts
- 💻 Needs better iPad support
- 🔍 Difficulty customizing feelings

**Reported bugs**

- Notification issues on iOS updates
- Occasional data loss or syncing problems

**Requested features**

- Add custom feelings and activities
- More detailed data visualization
- Integration with other health apps
- Offline mode for journaling


### Serene

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/serene-practice-self-care/id1512561442)

This app helps manage stress and anxiety through mindfulness, journaling, and problem-solving techniques. It offers guided meditations, cognitive restructuring, nature sounds, and self-compassion exercises to improve mental wellness and on-task performance.

**Highlights:** Guided mindfulness meditations, Cognitive restructuring techniques, Meditative nature sounds, Mindful journaling, Action plan development, Stress and anxiety reduction

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Serene Premium Monthly | $2.49 | per month |
| Serene Premium Yearly | $22.99 | per year |
| Serene Premium Lifetime | $89.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Moodnotes free?

Moodnotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Serene free?

Serene is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Moodnotes or Serene?

Serene is rated higher. Moodnotes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Serene averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Moodnotes or Serene have ads?

Neither Moodnotes nor Serene shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Moodnotes or Serene?

Moodnotes ships an update every 4 weeks, and Serene every 4 months. Most recently, Moodnotes was updated on October 21, 2026 and Serene on October 11, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*