# Lock Notes vs Secret Diary

The clearest difference is monetization model: Secret Diary at free with in-app purchases against Lock Notes's subscription. Secret Diary also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). Lock Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lock Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and Secret Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secret Diary holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lock Notes has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 73% of Lock Notes's written reviews are positive against 70% of Secret Diary's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Lock Notes ships an update every 10 days, Secret Diary every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lock Notes | Secret Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-password-notes/id6445909382/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 70.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 8 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [JulyApps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427694580) | [伟 葛](https://appshunter.io/developer/1028908732) |

## What reviewers say

### Lock Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570)

Securely store and protect your private notes with a passcode or Touch ID. Keep sensitive information like passwords, secrets, and diary entries safe from unauthorized access. Backup and sync notes across devices, customize their appearance, and even add images.

**Highlights:** Passcode and Touch ID protection, Security question recovery, iCloud backup and sync, Customizable font style and size, Insert images into notes, Print and share notes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto Backup | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Notes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lock Notes Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient
- 🔑 Passcode/biometric protection
- 💾 Cloud backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free notes
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📁 No folder organization

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing after updates
- Inability to access notes after device reset
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Advanced formatting options
- Ability to change passcode
- Improved search capabilities
- Folder/organization system
- Better backup and restore options


### Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-password-notes/id6445909382)

Securely record your daily life and protect your privacy with this easy-to-use digital journal. Customize entries with beautiful fonts and quickly find past notes using content search. It offers password protection for exclusive access.

**Highlights:** Password protection, Secure diary entries, Customizable fonts, Content search, User-friendly interface, Privacy protection

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Premium | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lock Notes free?

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

### Is Secret Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lock Notes or Secret Diary?

Secret Diary is rated higher. Lock Notes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Secret Diary averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Lock Notes or Secret Diary have ads?

Neither Lock Notes nor Secret Diary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lock Notes or Secret Diary?

Lock Notes ships an update every 10 days, and Secret Diary every 3 months. Most recently, Lock Notes was updated on September 23, 2026 and Secret Diary on August 23, 2026.

---

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