# HighNotes vs Journey

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HighNotes at none against Journey's 11. HighNotes also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.6). Journey's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (5.1K vs 47). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journey sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. HighNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Journey holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journey has 5.1K ratings behind it against 47, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of HighNotes's written reviews are positive against 81% of Journey's.

HighNotes ships an update every 2 months, Journey weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HighNotes | Journey |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highnotes/id1249114868/reviews) | **[4.6 (5.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journey-diary-journal/id1300202543/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 47 | **5.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | **80.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 23 MB | 217 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [Two App Studio Pte. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1130201870) |

## What reviewers say

### HighNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highnotes/id1249114868)

This app encourages frequent, brief journaling to build a consistent habit. Easily add photos to your entries to make them more engaging and enjoyable to revisit.

**Highlights:** Frequent, brief note-taking, Builds journaling habit, Attach photos to notes, Enhances memory, Improves emotional health

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Journey

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journey-diary-journal/id1300202543)

This app helps you capture memories, express yourself through writing, and track your emotions. It offers tools for creating rich journal entries, collaborative journaling, and secure storage. Enhance your experience with templates, plugins, and reminders for a more mindful and organized life.

**Highlights:** Capture memories with photos, videos, and audio, Rich text editor with formatting options, Mood tracking and emotional fluctuation analysis, Collaborative journaling with loved ones, End-to-end encryption and biometric security, Journal templates and custom template creation, Cloud sync across multiple devices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Month | $3.99 | per month |
| Membership (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Membership (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |
| Membership (Annual) | $49.99 | per year |
| Membership (Annual) Special | $49.99 | per year |
| Membership (Annual) Trial | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium | $17.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Membership (Promo) | $69.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Membership | $199.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 📚 Great journaling features
- 🌍 Cross-platform sync
- 💾 Reliable backup and export options
- 🎨 Visually appealing interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes
- 🔍 Limited search and organization options
- 📝 Lacking advanced text editing features
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor and text formatting issues
- Sync problems leading to data loss
- Crashes and performance problems
- Inconsistent behavior across platforms

**Requested features**

- Support for multiple journals/notebooks
- Handwriting/Apple Pencil support
- More customization options for appearance
- Improved search and tagging functionality
- Better integration with other apps and services


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HighNotes free?

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

### Is Journey free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HighNotes or Journey?

Journey is rated higher. HighNotes averages 4.4 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Journey averages 4.6 from 5.1K ratings.

### Do HighNotes or Journey have ads?

Neither HighNotes nor Journey shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HighNotes or Journey?

HighNotes ships an update every 2 months, and Journey weekly. Most recently, HighNotes was updated on October 13, 2026 and Journey on October 15, 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.*