# HighNotes vs Daily Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HighNotes at none against Daily Journal's 3. HighNotes also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Daily Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (305 vs 47). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Daily Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HighNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Daily Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Daily Journal has 305 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 79% of Daily Journal's.

HighNotes ships an update every 2 months, Daily Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HighNotes | Daily Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highnotes/id1249114868/reviews) | **[4.6 (305 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-journal-everlog/id1519935634/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 47 | **305** |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | **79.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 215 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [Wessley Roche](https://appshunter.io/developer/1505276711) |

## 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


### Daily Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-journal-everlog/id1519935634)

This app provides a minimalist platform for daily journaling, helping users reflect, track thoughts, and build mindfulness habits. It supports rich media, offers journaling prompts, and ensures privacy with passcode locking and iCloud syncing.

**Highlights:** Minimalist interface, Journaling suggestions, Photo and video attachments, Passcode lock, iCloud sync, Markdown editing, Search and tags

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Everlog Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Elegant and minimalist design
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 💡 Useful templates and customization options
- 🔒 Secure with passcode/biometric lock
- 📚 Multiple journals for organization

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss
- 🔒 Lack of end-to-end encryption
- 📁 Limited export/backup options
- 🖼️ Inability to embed images/media
- 🕰️ No 'On This Day' feature

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when using Apple Intelligence
- Invisible text when entry exceeds limit
- Syncing issues leading to data loss

**Requested features**

- Voice recording/dictation
- More advanced formatting options
- Calendar/timeline view
- Shared/collaborative journals
- Habit/mood tracking


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HighNotes free?

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

### Is Daily Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, HighNotes or Daily Journal?

Daily Journal is rated higher. HighNotes averages 4.4 out of 5 from 47 ratings, while Daily Journal averages 4.6 from 305 ratings.

### Do HighNotes or Daily Journal have ads?

Neither HighNotes nor Daily Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HighNotes or Daily Journal?

HighNotes ships an update every 2 months, and Daily Journal every 2 weeks. Most recently, HighNotes was updated on October 13, 2026 and Daily Journal on October 14, 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.*