# Diary vs Diary with Lock

The clearest difference is ads: Diary with Lock at none against Diary's shown. Diary with Lock also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Diary with Lock holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 96% of Diary with Lock's.

Diary ships an update every 5 months, Diary with Lock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Diary with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-password/id1259894631/reviews) | **[4.9 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-diary-journal/id6497171567/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 1K |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | **95.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 28 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Aurel Criste](https://appshunter.io/developer/1190603157) | [Simple Health](https://appshunter.io/developer/1687443479) |

## 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


### Diary with Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-diary-journal/id6497171567)

Securely record daily thoughts, feelings, and memories with a customizable, password-protected digital journal. Enhance entries with photos, audio, and a mood tracker to understand your emotional journey. Offers prompts and themes for inspiration and organization.

**Highlights:** Password and Face ID protection, Multimedia entries (photos, audio), Mood tracking calendar, Customizable themes and fonts, Journal prompts, Tagging for organization, Cloud backup

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🩷 Lovely app
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🩷 Cute and colorful
- ✨ Helpful for expressing emotions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔍 Limited customization options for password recovery

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- More background and font options
- Ability to move photos freely
- Draw own drawings
- Additional background themes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Diary with Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary or Diary with Lock?

Diary with Lock is rated higher. Diary averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Diary with Lock averages 4.9 from 1K ratings.

### Do Diary or Diary with Lock have ads?

Diary shows ads; Diary with Lock does not.

### Which is updated more often, Diary or Diary with Lock?

Diary ships an update every 5 months, and Diary with Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Diary was updated on November 2, 2026 and Diary with Lock on November 4, 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.*