# Diary vs Daynote

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Diary at none against Daynote's 8. Diary also leads on ratings volume (1.7K vs 548) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Daynote's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Daynote sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Daynote holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.7K and 548 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 88% of Daynote's.

Diary ships an update every 5 months, Daynote every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Daynote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-password/id1259894631/reviews) | **[4.8 (548 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daynote-diary-with-password/id6743121115/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.7K** | 548 |
| Positive reviews | 80.9% of reviews | **88.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 186 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) | [ERTECH YAZILIM VE BILGI TEKNOLOJILERI LIMITED SIRKETI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626101839) |

## 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


### Daynote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daynote-diary-with-password/id6743121115)

This secure digital journal allows you to privately record your daily experiences with advanced security features like fingerprint and face recognition. Customize your journal with themes and fonts, back up your entries to the cloud, and export them for safekeeping. It also includes mood tracking, habit challenges, and writing prompts to enhance self-reflection.

**Highlights:** Fingerprint, passcode, face recognition lock, Customizable themes and fonts, Cloud backup (Google Drive & iCloud), Export notes as PDF/TXT, Offline access, Mood tracking and analysis, Multimedia support (photos, audio, video)

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Daynote Weekly Subscription | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Memebership | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Daynote Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Daynote Annual Campaign | $14.99 | per year |
| Daynote Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Daynote Annual Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Daynote Lifetime Campaign | $29.99 | one-time |
| Daynote Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Daynote free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary or Daynote?

Daynote is rated higher. Diary averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Daynote averages 4.8 from 548 ratings.

### Do Diary or Daynote have ads?

Both Diary and Daynote show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Diary or Daynote?

Diary ships an update every 5 months, and Daynote every 5 days. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 29, 2026 and Daynote on October 28, 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.*