# Simple Diary vs First diary, Theme Diary

The clearest difference is review sentiment: First diary, Theme Diary at 100% against Simple Diary's 78%. First diary, Theme Diary also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Simple Diary's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, 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 First diary, Theme Diary sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 2 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, First diary, Theme Diary every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Diary | First diary, Theme Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (908 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-daily-journal/id1388195923/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **908** | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 206 MB | 131 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [G-SOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/368394644) |

## 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


### First diary, Theme Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-diary-theme-diary/id6483616889)

This app helps you journal your daily experiences with themes, emotions, and media. Record events with photos, videos, and location, and organize them privately. Premium features offer unlimited entries and media.

**Highlights:** Themed event recording, Emotion and level tracking, Add photos and videos, Location information, Secret themes and events, Passcode and biometric protection, iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Show weather | $0.99 | per 2 months |
| Hide ads | $0.99 | per month |
| Number of images | $1.99 | one-time |
| Character limit | $1.99 | one-time |
| Show weather | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hide ads (Unlimited) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock passcode | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Diary free?

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

### Is First diary, Theme Diary free?

First diary, Theme Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Simple Diary or First diary, Theme Diary have ads?

Both Simple Diary and First diary, Theme Diary show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Diary or First diary, Theme Diary?

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, and First diary, Theme Diary every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple Diary was updated on September 26, 2026 and First diary, Theme Diary on June 1, 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.*