Comparison

Grid Diary vs DOTS生活

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Grid Diary

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
Read full description

Introducing Grid Diary: More than just a journaling app, it's your comprehensive personal development system. Embark on a personal growth journey that covers all aspects: • Embrace mindfulness & self-love • Establish morning & evening routines • Enhance personal health & wellbeing • Develop self-care habits • Alleviate stress and anxiety through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy • Acquire new skills • Boost productivity • Strengthen relationships • Ignite creativity ...and so much more. At Grid Diary, we understand that personal development is a holistic endeavor, not a singular pursuit. Grid Diary empowers you to create a diary system that goes beyond simple daily entries. By utilizing features such as custom prompts, tags, and categories, you can build a personalized framework for cultivating happiness and developing positive habits such as proactivity, optimism, and gratitude. Use Grid Diary to unlock the true power of keeping a diary and start your journey towards a happier, healthier you. # Feature Highlights • Prompted Journaling: Guided Self-Reflections Avoid writer's block with our question library or customize your own prompts for deeper self-reflection. • Unique Grid Format: Elegant and Comprehensive Organize all that matters to you on a single page with our customizable grid layout, fostering a holistic personal development system. • Mandala Layout: Journal like a Mind Map Our 9-grid Mandala-inspired layout, featuring a fixed center, emulates the artful representation of life's organization and connection to the cosmos. Journaling becomes intuitive and mirrors the way our minds work. • Day/Week/Month/Year Dimensions: Create Your Own Rituals Establish rituals that anchor you in time, crafting a framework for planning, acting, and reviewing on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. • Compatibility with Various Journaling Methods Whether you prefer morning diaries, success diaries, manifestation journals, or bullet journals, Grid Diary's flexibility accommodates your preferred approach. Discover the transformative power of Grid Diary and unlock your full potential today! # Don't Just Take Our Word for It "New Apps We Love" - Apple "If you've wanted to journal but don't know where to start, meet Grid Diary. Swappable prompts in a lovely, flexible grid format invite you to record and reflect on life's happenings - from noting your habits and goals to sharing affirmation and gratitude." - Google "Grid Diary is a good option for journal writers pressed for time or inspiration." - The New York Times --- As a dedicated three-person team, we believe that privacy is paramount for a journaling app. With no venture capital or advertisers backing Grid Diary, our long-term development relies solely on our members' paid subscriptions. We never sell your data to third parties for profit. # Note about Health App integration: After you have authorized access to health data, you can insert information such as steps or activity energy into your diary. Additionally, you can save your journaling time as mediation minutes to Health app. Grid Diary won't use your health data for other purposes. Privacy Policy https://griddiaryapp.com/support/privacy Terms of Service https://griddiaryapp.com/support/terms

About

DOTS生活

Features
Read full description

DOTS 是一个专注的个人生活记录工具。把提醒事项、习惯打卡、日记、运动、饮食、记账、旅游、学习、知识库、体重、情绪、观影等十余个模块集中在一处,简洁、离线、不打扰。 ◆ 核心理念 • 纯本地:所有数据只存在你的 iPhone 里 • 不收集:不上传、不追踪、不分析、无第三方 SDK • 不打扰:暖色留白的文艺设计,没有红点角标轰炸 • 一次付费:没有订阅、没有广告 ◆ 主要功能 【提醒事项】 • 任务、习惯、项目三合一 • 循环任务支持多时间点分别提醒(每天 7:30 / 12:30 / 18:30) • 打卡热力图、拖拽排序、任意处右滑返回 • iOS 系统本地通知,到点提醒 【日记】 • Notion 风格 Block 编辑器 • 支持 Markdown、图片、视频、位置 • 相册式排版,日记即生活 【生活记录(10 个子模块)】 • 运动:训练记录 • 饮食:三餐 + 外食地图收藏 • 记账:支出分类统计 • 旅游:地图 + 日程分组 • 学习:计划 + 番茄钟 + 知识库(支持双向链接) • 体重、情绪、观影、生病、订阅 • 每个模块都是独立的小工具,按需开启 【知识库】 • Markdown 原生笔记 • 双向链接(从一个知识点跳到另一个) • 蓝色可点跳转,知识图谱从这里开始 ◆ 设计价值观 DOTS 相信"少即是多"。我们不追求功能堆砌,而是让每一个记录动作都足够轻。暖米色背景、深灰色文字、Playfair Display 英文字体——把屏幕还给内容,把注意力还给你。 ◆ 隐私 DOTS 不使用网络连接,不接入任何云服务,不集成任何第三方 SDK。你的所有记录都保存在设备本地的 JSON 文件中。卸载 App,所有数据随之消失。 ◆ 适合谁用 • 喜欢写日记但讨厌繁杂功能的人 • 想用一个 App 记录生活而非十个的人 • 关心数据隐私、不愿意把生活上传云端的人 • 追求设计感和安静感的人 如有任何问题或建议,请联系 lllsssddd@icloud.com。

Screenshots

Grid Diary4 screens
DOTS生活4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Grid Diary at Free against DOTS生活's $1.99. Grid Diary also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). DOTS生活's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Grid Diary is free to download; DOTS生活 costs $1.99 up front. Grid Diary sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. DOTS生活 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Grid Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, DOTS生活 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Grid Diary versus DOTS生活: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrid DiaryDOTS生活
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.6 (963 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews48.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings963 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSumi Interactive斯迪 刘

Bugs and requests

Grid Diary

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

6 requests
  • 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
Show 1 more
  • Allow randomized daily prompts

DOTS生活

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Grid Diary

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Monthly3 Months trial$4.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annual6 Months trial$29.991 Year
None

DOTS生活

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Grid Diary free?
Grid Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DOTS生活 free?
DOTS生活 costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Grid Diary or DOTS生活 have ads?
Neither Grid Diary nor DOTS生活 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Grid Diary or DOTS生活?
Grid Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and DOTS生活 monthly. Most recently, Grid Diary was updated on October 18, 2026 and DOTS生活 on October 14, 2026.

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