# Diary Secret vs Journal

The clearest difference is ads: Journal at none against Diary Secret's shown. Journal also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). Diary Secret's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 4 months) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary Secret sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year and Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary Secret has 158 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Diary Secret ships an update weekly, Journal every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary Secret | Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-secret/id1366079020/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **158** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 41.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Dat Hoang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143718103) | [Olufemi Adedire](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701746573) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary Secret

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-secret/id1366079020)

This app provides a private and secure space to record personal thoughts, moments, and plans. It offers password protection, customizable themes, and easy navigation to ensure your entries remain confidential and accessible.

**Highlights:** Password protection, Customizable themes and fonts, Easy entry creation and editing, Search functionality, Reminders, Multiple diary uses (diet, travel)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| My Diary Premium | $4.99 | per year |


### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996)

Securely record your thoughts, secrets, and private moments with this digital journal. Protect your entries with a password, Touch ID, or Face ID, and enrich them with photos and videos. Easily organize and search your memories.

**Highlights:** Password, Touch ID, Face ID lock, Add text, photos, and videos, Tagging for entries, Searchable diary, Export entries, iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly: Journal Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| 3-Monthly: Journal Pro Quarter | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| 6-Monthly:Journal Pro 6 months | $3.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly: Journal Pro Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Journal Pro Lifetime Access | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary Secret free?

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

### Is Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary Secret or Journal?

Journal is rated higher. Diary Secret averages 4.5 out of 5 from 158 ratings, while Journal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Diary Secret or Journal have ads?

Diary Secret shows ads; Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Diary Secret or Journal?

Diary Secret ships an update weekly, and Journal every 4 months. Most recently, Diary Secret was updated on October 29, 2026 and Journal on October 22, 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.*