# Basic Journal vs Diary With Password

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Diary With Password at 92% against Basic Journal's 40%. Diary With Password also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Diary With Password sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary With Password holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary With Password has 27K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Basic Journal's written reviews are positive against 92% of Diary With Password's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Journal | Diary With Password |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) | **[4.7 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-password/id1252208166/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **27K** |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **92.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 14 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) | [帆 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/959829749) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456)

A fast and simple journal app designed for busy individuals to quickly jot down notes on daily activities. It offers an elegant, chronological display of entries with easy editing and export options.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Chronological note display, Summary and detail views, Edit and delete notes easily, Recently edited notes highlighted, iCloud syncing, Text export option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Diary With Password

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-password/id1252208166)

This app provides a private digital space to record daily thoughts, emotions, and life events. It offers robust security features like password and biometric locks, alongside tools for organizing, searching, and exporting your entries. Enjoy a customizable and ad-free journaling experience.

**Highlights:** Password and biometric security, Daily entry logging, Full text search, Data backup and export (PDF/Text), Customizable fonts and sizes, Night mode, Daily reminders

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro version- One-time purchase | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 📝 Customizable fonts and layout
- ⏱️ Time stamp feature
- 🔓 No ads or paywalls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing past entries
- 🖼️ No image/media support
- 🔄 Lack of syncing across devices
- 🔒 Password recovery issues
- 🔧 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Date entries sometimes display incorrectly
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Add ability to import/attach photos
- Implement calendar view for entries
- Allow multiple entries per day
- Provide cloud backup and sync options
- Add more customization options (colors, themes, etc.)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Journal free?

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

### Is Diary With Password free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Basic Journal or Diary With Password?

Diary With Password is rated higher. Basic Journal averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Diary With Password averages 4.7 from 27K ratings.

### Do Basic Journal or Diary With Password have ads?

Basic Journal shows ads; Diary With Password does not.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Journal or Diary With Password?

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Diary With Password every 2 weeks. Most recently, Basic Journal was updated on October 7, 2026 and Diary With Password on October 18, 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.*