# Grid Diary vs DailyRetro

The clearest difference is monetization model: DailyRetro at free with in-app purchases against Grid Diary's subscription. DailyRetro also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). Grid Diary's advantage is ratings volume (963 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Grid Diary sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and DailyRetro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DailyRetro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grid Diary has 963 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Grid Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, DailyRetro weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Grid Diary | DailyRetro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (963 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-diary-journal-planner/id1392523148/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **963** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 48.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 80 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sumi Interactive](https://appshunter.io/developer/597077264) | [Liqiang Wang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592234035) |

## What reviewers say

### Grid Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grid-diary-journal-planner/id1392523148)

This app offers a guided journaling experience to foster personal development and mindfulness. It helps users build positive habits, manage stress, and enhance various aspects of their lives through customizable prompts and unique layouts.

**Highlights:** Prompted journaling with custom questions, Unique grid and mandala layouts, Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly planning, Supports various journaling methods, Mindfulness and self-care focus, Stress and anxiety alleviation techniques

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| Annual | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent journaling app
- 📚 Customizable templates and prompts
- 🧠 Helps with self-reflection and mental health
- 🗓️ Organized grid layout
- 🔍 Useful search and timeline features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues and data loss
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Lack of account deletion or data export options
- 🤔 Confusing onboarding and upgrade process
- 🕰️ Slow loading times and app freezes

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing or not syncing properly
- Password reset functionality not working
- Subscription issues and inability to access premium features
- Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add Apple Pencil support
- Improve sync reliability across devices
- Provide more customization options for layouts and fonts
- Integrate with other productivity apps and calendars
- Implement a one-time purchase option


### DailyRetro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196)

This app helps you track habits, record thoughts with photos and markdown, and stay organized with daily reminders. It offers passcode and iCloud support for privacy and data backup.

**Highlights:** Diary keeping with photos and markdown, Habit tracking for routine management, Daily reminders and notifications, Passcode support for privacy, iCloud support for data backup and sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Grid Diary free?

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

### Is DailyRetro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Grid Diary or DailyRetro?

DailyRetro is rated higher. Grid Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 963 ratings, while DailyRetro averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Grid Diary or DailyRetro have ads?

Neither Grid Diary nor DailyRetro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Grid Diary or DailyRetro?

Grid Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and DailyRetro weekly. Most recently, Grid Diary was updated on November 6, 2026 and DailyRetro on November 3, 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.*