# Diary with lock vs Diary Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Diary Journal at 4.7 against Diary with lock's 4.3. Diary Journal also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Diary with lock's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 368). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary with lock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Diary Journal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 368 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Diary with lock's written reviews are positive against 67% of Diary Journal's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary with lock | Diary Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock/id1347511716/reviews) | **[4.7 (368 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1572225395/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 368 |
| Positive reviews | 65.6% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 39 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tuyen Bui](https://appshunter.io/developer/1000285801) | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary with lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock/id1347511716)

Create a secure personal journal to record daily events, thoughts, and secrets. Protect your entries with a password or PIN code and customize the look with different colors and fonts. This app offers a simple, fast, and user-friendly way to document your life.

**Highlights:** Password & PIN code protection, Customizable background colors, Changeable font styles, Easy-to-use interface, Searchable entries, Unlimited entries, Multi-language support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud Sync Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Donate to Developer | $5.99 | one-time |
| Diary with lock-No Advertising | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- ✨ Customizable fonts and colors
- 📝 Easy to write entries
- 💻 Convenient digital diary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads interrupting writing
- 🐛 Crashes and glitches when trying to write
- 💾 No backup or data recovery options
- 🔍 Partial visibility of entries even when locked

**Reported bugs**

- Entries randomly disappearing
- Constant redirects to ads when trying to write
- Login/password reset not working properly

**Requested features**

- Backup and sync entries across devices
- Fingerprint/Face ID support for locking
- Ability to change font size and color
- Option to disable ads for paid users


### Diary Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1572225395)

This app provides a secure and private digital space for recording thoughts, memories, and dreams. It encourages self-reflection and personal growth through daily journaling, ensuring all entries are kept confidential.

**Highlights:** Secret diary entries, Log life events and progress, Record emotions and feelings, Password protection for privacy, Encourages self-reflection, Modern journal interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diary Pro 1 Year | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Password protection and privacy features
- 📹 Video diary functionality highly valued
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 📸 Ability to add photos and videos to entries
- 🎙️ Audio recording capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Limited free version (one entry per day)
- 💰 Premium features behind paywall
- 🔐 Password recovery impossible if forgotten
- 📱 Data transfer issues between devices
- ☁️ Backup to cloud not working reliably

**Reported bugs**

- Video uploads fail and crash repeatedly
- Long video entries don't save properly
- Data doesn't transfer to new phone despite cloud backup
- Import from ZIP file causes app to close
- App crashes when importing exported data

**Requested features**

- Timestamp for each journal entry
- Password reset or recovery option
- Multiple entries per day in free version
- Font customization (size, bold, italics, underline)
- Location tagging for entries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary with lock free?

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

### Is Diary Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary with lock or Diary Journal?

Diary Journal is rated higher. Diary with lock averages 4.3 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Diary Journal averages 4.7 from 368 ratings.

### Do Diary with lock or Diary Journal have ads?

Neither Diary with lock nor Diary Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Diary with lock or Diary Journal?

Diary with lock ships an update every 6 weeks, and Diary Journal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Diary with lock was updated on October 26, 2026 and Diary Journal on October 20, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*