# Simple Diary vs Diary with Lock

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Simple Diary at 78% against Diary with Lock's 0%. Simple Diary also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (908 vs 20). Diary with Lock's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Diary with Lock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Diary has 908 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Simple Diary's written reviews are positive against 0% of Diary with Lock's.

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, Diary with Lock every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Diary | Diary with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (908 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-daily-journal/id1388195923/reviews)** | [4.3 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-idiary/id1625609721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **908** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **78.3% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 206 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-daily-journal/id1388195923)

This app provides a simple and convenient way to journal your thoughts and experiences. It allows you to add images, secure your entries with a passcode, and customize the app's appearance. Data backup and search functions ensure your memories are safe and easily accessible.

**Highlights:** Insert images into entries, Secure passcode lock (Face ID/Touch ID), Customizable theme colors and app icon, Data backup to iTunes/PC and cloud services, Tag-based search for entries, Adjustable text font size and color, Daily reminder notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium (Annual) | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Service (Lifetime) | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📷 Ability to add photos
- 🔒 Password protection
- 🗓️ Organized by calendar view
- 🔍 Effective search functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 📁 Limited photo upload capacity
- 💰 Paywall for some features
- 🔄 Inconvenient manual backup/restore process
- 🎨 Limited font and theme options in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Some characters not displaying properly
- Calendar dates not always accurate
- Deleted entries not recoverable

**Requested features**

- Automatic iCloud/Google Drive sync
- More font and theme customization options
- Video recording and embedding
- Ability to add tags or categories to entries
- One-tap access to previous day's entry


### Diary with Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-idiary/id1625609721)

Capture and cherish life's moments in a secure, beautifully designed digital journal. Add text, photos, and videos, track your mood and weather, and protect your entries with a passcode. Back up your memories to iCloud and export them as PDFs.

**Highlights:** Photo and text diary entries, Lock screen passcode protection, iCloud backup, Mood and weather tracking, Font customization, Intruder snapshots, PDF export

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iDiary Pro | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Diary free?

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

### Is Diary with Lock free?

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

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

Simple Diary is rated higher. Simple Diary averages 4.8 out of 5 from 908 ratings, while Diary with Lock averages 4.3 from 20 ratings.

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

Simple Diary shows ads; Diary with Lock does not.

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

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Diary with Lock every 3 months. Most recently, Simple Diary was updated on September 23, 2026 and Diary with Lock on September 8, 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.*