# HighNotes vs Daily Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HighNotes at none against Daily Journal's 6. HighNotes also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Daily Journal's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (5.6K vs 47). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Daily Journal sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HighNotes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Daily Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Daily Journal has 5.6K 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 94% of Daily Journal's.

HighNotes ships an update every 2 months, Daily Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HighNotes | Daily Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (47 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/highnotes/id1249114868/reviews) | **[4.8 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-journal-diary-with-lock/id1605113008/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 47 | **5.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | **93.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aleksandr Fiodorov](https://appshunter.io/developer/571378481) | [SimpleInnovation LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1479770962) |

## 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-diary-with-lock/id1605113008)

This app serves as a private digital journal to record daily experiences, emotions, and memories. Secure your entries with password, fingerprint, or face ID, and enhance them with photos. Track your moods and use built-in reminders to cultivate a consistent journaling habit.

**Highlights:** Password, fingerprint, and face ID security, Add photos to journal entries, Mood and emotion tracking, Calendar view for memories, Daily journaling reminders, Simple and beautiful interface

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Journal for 1 month - 30% OFF | $1.99 | per month |
| Daily journal for 1 month | $2.99 | per month |
| Cute notes for 1 year DISCOUNT | $12.99 | per year |
| Cute notes for 1 year | $17.99 | per year |
| Secret diary Forever 30% OFF | $41.99 | one-time |
| Secret diary with lock Forever | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure with password and biometric lock
- 📝 Allows easy journaling and expression of feelings
- 🎨 Customizable themes and backgrounds
- 📊 Mood tracking and insights
- 🆓 Free to use with no ads or subscriptions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔑 Limited free features, many premium options
- 🖼️ Inability to use own photos as backgrounds
- 🕰️ No reminders to write daily entries

**Reported bugs**

- Password recovery not working for some users
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- More free stickers and fonts
- Ability to organize entries by categories
- Option to add videos or audio recordings
- Sync across devices


## 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 4.8 from 5.6K ratings.

### Do HighNotes or Daily Journal have ads?

Daily Journal shows ads; HighNotes does not.

### 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 22, 2026 and Daily Journal on October 24, 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.*