# Time Diary vs Diary

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Time Diary at 99% against Diary's 66%. Time Diary also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Time Diary sells 17 one-off in-app purchases and Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Time Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 429 and 895 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 99% of Time Diary's written reviews are positive against 66% of Diary's.

Time Diary ships an update monthly, Diary every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Time Diary | Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (429 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-diary/id1229593919/reviews)** | [4.5 (895 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-private-note-with-lock/id1454490013/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 429 | **895** |
| Positive reviews | **98.5% of reviews** | 66.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 225 MB | 88 MB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nanjing LeMeng Network Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1431596998) | [俊川 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458693881) |

## What reviewers say

### Time Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/time-diary/id1229593919)

Record daily activities, experiences, thoughts, and ideas in a digital diary. Organize and easily find past entries with powerful search and filtering options. Sync your data across all your devices for seamless access.

**Highlights:** Record activities, experiences, thoughts, and ideas, Organize diary entries and notes, Powerful search by keyword, date, folder, and tags, Sync data across all devices, Filter entries by date, folder, and tags

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3元素材 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 6元素材 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 订阅-月卡优惠 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 300时光贝 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 600时光贝 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 时光月卡 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 1元素材 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 云端容量-2G | $1.99 | one-time |
| 1200时光贝 | $1.99 | one-time |
| 云端容量-5G | $2.99 | one-time |
| 时光年卡 | $3.99 | one-time |
| 永久VIP（折扣） | $3.99 | one-time |
| 永久VIP | $5.99 | one-time |
| 永久VIP（折扣） | $5.99 | one-time |
| 时光年卡（优惠） | $5.99 | one-time |
| 4000时光贝 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 永久VIP（折扣） | $9.99 | one-time |


### Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-private-note-with-lock/id1454490013)

This app offers a private digital notebook for journaling, with customizable interfaces and dynamic effects. Secure your entries with a password and receive daily reminders to write. Add photos, text, and choose from various fonts and background stationery colors to make your entries vibrant.

**Highlights:** Dynamic interface themes, Timeline view, Customizable stationery colors, Add photos and text, Multiple font options, Password protection, Daily writing reminders

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diary PLUS | $2.49 | per month |
| Diary Quarterly Plus | $6.49 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Customizable and aesthetic
- 📝 Helps with routines and organization
- 🔒 Password protection (with premium)
- 📷 Ability to add photos

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🔒 Password not free
- 📃 Limited writing space
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Privacy concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing
- Inability to read/scroll through long entries
- Typos in app
- Freezing issues

**Requested features**

- Ability to scroll and read long entries
- More free font and customization options
- European time format
- Option to not include photos


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Time Diary free?

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

### Is Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Time Diary or Diary?

Time Diary is rated higher. Time Diary averages 4.9 out of 5 from 429 ratings, while Diary averages 4.5 from 895 ratings.

### Do Time Diary or Diary have ads?

Both Time Diary and Diary show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Time Diary or Diary?

Time Diary ships an update monthly, and Diary every 4 months. Most recently, Time Diary was updated on October 9, 2026 and Diary on October 8, 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.*