# Simple Diary vs Daily Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Diary at 4.8 against Daily Notes's 4.4. Simple Diary also leads on ratings volume (908 vs 14). Daily Notes's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 78%) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). 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 Daily Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Diary has 908 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 78% of Simple Diary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Daily Notes's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, Daily Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Diary | Daily Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (908 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-daily-journal/id1388195923/reviews)** | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-notes-keep-diary-app/id6502484218/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **908** | 14 |
| 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 | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Komorebi Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/481596469) | [香屏 许](https://appshunter.io/developer/1717005374) |

## 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


### Daily Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-notes-keep-diary-app/id6502484218)

Effortlessly record life's details and cherish memories with this journaling app. Organize personal life, work, and study information through text, images, and mood tracking. Features include a simple interface, diverse recording methods, and creative customization options.

**Highlights:** Simple and beautiful interface, Text and image recording, Mood diary with emojis, Manual account editing with stickers, Apple Pencil support, Customizable doll creation, One-click sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| YueVIP | $2.99 | per month |
| JiDuVIP | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| ProVersion | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Diary free?

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

### Is Daily Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simple Diary or Daily Notes?

Simple Diary is rated higher. Simple Diary averages 4.8 out of 5 from 908 ratings, while Daily Notes averages 4.4 from 14 ratings.

### Do Simple Diary or Daily Notes have ads?

Both Simple Diary and Daily Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Diary or Daily Notes?

Simple Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Daily Notes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Simple Diary was updated on October 29, 2026 and Daily Notes on October 24, 2026.

---

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