# Simpletext vs Diary Lock

The clearest difference is price: Diary Lock at Free against Simpletext's $14.99. Diary Lock also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Simpletext's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Diary Lock is free to download; Simpletext costs $14.99 up front. Diary Lock sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Simpletext asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simpletext holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 23 and 5 respectively.

Simpletext ships an update every 3 months, Diary Lock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simpletext | Diary Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.1 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpletext/id1319340670/reviews)** | [3.8 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-lock-my-journal/id6759005602/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **23** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 71 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yeow Jin Gan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1241352692) | [Jay Lakhani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820580603) |

## What reviewers say

### Simpletext

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpletext/id1319340670)

This app offers a minimalist writing experience, focusing solely on plain text. It provides a distraction-free environment with beautiful typography and native performance across Apple devices. Ideal for those who want to concentrate on their words without unnecessary features.

**Highlights:** Zero clutter interface, Beautiful typography with professional fonts, Plain text only support, Fully native Apple app, Supports custom fonts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Diary Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-lock-my-journal/id6759005602)

Capture your thoughts, plans, and memories securely. This app offers rich text editing, voice notes, mood tracking, and smart reminders to help you organize your life and protect your private information.

**Highlights:** Rich text editor with formatting options, Voice note recording, PIN-protected individual notes, Daily mood tracking, Smart reminders and event scheduling, Drawing and image insertion

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Pro Access | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Pro Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Yearly Pro Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Pro Access | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simpletext free?

Simpletext costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Diary Lock free?

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

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

Simpletext is rated higher. Simpletext averages 4.1 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Diary Lock averages 3.8 from 5 ratings.

### Do Simpletext or Diary Lock have ads?

Diary Lock shows ads; Simpletext does not.

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

Simpletext ships an update every 3 months, and Diary Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simpletext was updated on November 2, 2026 and Diary Lock on November 6, 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.*