# Basic Journal vs BasicNotesApp

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BasicNotesApp at 100% against Basic Journal's 40%. BasicNotesApp also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.3) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Basic Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 35 months) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.2). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. BasicNotesApp asks for nothing beyond the download.

BasicNotesApp holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of Basic Journal's written reviews are positive against 100% of BasicNotesApp's.

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, BasicNotesApp every 35 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Journal | BasicNotesApp |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) | **[4.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basicnotesapp/id1611221982/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 35 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 14 MB | 0 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) | [Peter Roach](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611221984) |

## 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 |


### BasicNotesApp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basicnotesapp/id1611221982)

Organize your thoughts and ideas with a simple note-taking application. Create individual notes and group them into custom folders for easy retrieval. Streamline your workflow and keep your information tidy.

**Highlights:** Create notes, Create folders, Organize notes, Simple interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Journal free?

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

### Is BasicNotesApp free?

BasicNotesApp is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Basic Journal or BasicNotesApp?

BasicNotesApp is rated higher. Basic Journal averages 3.3 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while BasicNotesApp averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do Basic Journal or BasicNotesApp have ads?

Basic Journal shows ads; BasicNotesApp does not.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Journal or BasicNotesApp?

Basic Journal ships an update every 2 weeks, and BasicNotesApp every 35 months. Most recently, Basic Journal was updated on October 7, 2026 and BasicNotesApp on September 30, 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.*