# Emoji Diary vs Secret Diary With Lock

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Emoji Diary at 100% against Secret Diary With Lock's 52%. Emoji Diary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 9) and ads (none vs shown). Secret Diary With Lock's advantage is ratings volume (736 vs 17). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secret Diary With Lock sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days. Emoji Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Emoji Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secret Diary With Lock has 736 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Emoji Diary's written reviews are positive against 52% of Secret Diary With Lock's.

Emoji Diary ships an update every 5 weeks, Secret Diary With Lock every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 18, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Emoji Diary | Secret Diary With Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emoji-diary/id1247061044/reviews)** | [4.4 (736 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1474212821/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 17 | **736** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 52.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 9 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kilian Obermeier](https://appshunter.io/developer/1237812610) | [Pravin Gondaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1210259494) |

## What reviewers say

### Emoji Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emoji-diary/id1247061044)

This app allows for rapid diary entries using emoticons. It provides a quick overview of past entries and offers optional daily reminder notifications to help you stay consistent with your journaling.

**Highlights:** Rapid diary entries, Emoticon integration, Quick overview of past entries, Optional daily reminder notifications

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Secret Diary With Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1474212821)

Keep your thoughts, feelings, and memories private with a secure digital journal. This app offers customizable locks, daily reminders, and the ability to add photos and emojis to your entries, ensuring your personal information stays protected.

**Highlights:** Password protection (PIN, pattern, safe), Unlimited daily entries, Add photos and mood emojis, Daily, weekly, monthly reminders, Customizable themes and fonts, Data backup and restore

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Subscription Discount | $0.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Secret Diary- Month Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Secret Diary - Week Premium | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Secret Vault - Month Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly subscription. | $9.99 | per month |
| One-month subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| One-year subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| One-year subscription | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure diary with password/fingerprint protection
- 📝 Ability to write and express feelings
- 🎨 Customization options for diary appearance
- 🔐 Privacy and keeping secrets from others

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind paywall
- 🌐 Ads and constant prompts to upgrade
- 🕰️ Incorrect date/time display
- 🐛 Bugs causing data loss or app crashes

**Reported bugs**

- Diary entries not saving properly
- App freezing or closing unexpectedly
- Incorrect date/time stamps on entries
- Syncing and login issues

**Requested features**

- More free customization options
- Ability to add photos, videos, or other media
- Improved sync and backup across devices
- Better organization and search for diary entries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Emoji Diary free?

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

### Is Secret Diary With Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Emoji Diary or Secret Diary With Lock?

Emoji Diary is rated higher. Emoji Diary averages 4.7 out of 5 from 17 ratings, while Secret Diary With Lock averages 4.4 from 736 ratings.

### Do Emoji Diary or Secret Diary With Lock have ads?

Secret Diary With Lock shows ads; Emoji Diary does not.

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

Emoji Diary ships an update every 5 weeks, and Secret Diary With Lock every 3 weeks. Most recently, Emoji Diary was updated on August 18, 2026 and Secret Diary With Lock on September 1, 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.*