# Diary vs Secret Diary With Lock

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Diary at none against Secret Diary With Lock's 9. Diary also leads on review sentiment (81% vs 53%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Secret Diary With Lock's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Diary against 4.4 for Secret Diary With Lock. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 735 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 53% of Secret Diary With Lock's.

Diary ships an update every 5 months, Secret Diary With Lock every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Secret Diary With Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-password/id1259894631/reviews)** | [4.4 (735 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1474212821/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 735 |
| Positive reviews | **80.9% of reviews** | 53.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aurel Criste](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190603157) | [Pravin Gondaliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1210259494) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-password/id1259894631)

This app provides a secure and beautiful space to record your thoughts, plans, and life moments. Protect your entries with a password and enjoy a customizable interface with features like image support and PDF export.

**Highlights:** Password protection with PIN, Add/edit/remove images, Search functionality, Export entries to PDF, Customizable color and font styles, Reminders, Auto-lock for privacy

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Awesome app
- 🔒 Password protected
- 👍 Customizable font, color, and theme
- 💡 Ability to add photos
- 💡 Ability to set reminders

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Entries disappear without warning
- 🐛 Password issues, unable to reset
- 🐛 Scrolling/jumping text when writing longer entries
- 🔋 Excessive ads
- 🐛 Unable to recover deleted entries

**Reported bugs**

- Password not working consistently
- Entries disappearing or not saving properly
- Scrolling/jumping text when writing longer entries
- Inability to recover deleted entries

**Requested features**

- Backup and sync across devices
- More customization options (fonts, colors, backgrounds)
- Ability to export entries
- Night mode/dark theme
- Voice-to-text entry


### 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 Diary free?

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, Diary or Secret Diary With Lock?

Diary is rated higher. Diary averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Secret Diary With Lock averages 4.4 from 735 ratings.

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

Both Diary and Secret Diary With Lock show ads.

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

Diary ships an update every 5 months, and Secret Diary With Lock every 3 weeks. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 23, 2026 and Secret Diary With Lock on October 25, 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.*