# Calcute vs Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: Journal at every 6 weeks against Calcute's every 13 months. Journal also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 78%) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 232). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calcute sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Calcute against 4.6 for Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journal has 1.8K ratings behind it against 232, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Calcute's written reviews are positive against 90% of Journal's.

Calcute ships an update every 13 months, Journal every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calcute | Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (232 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calcute/id1415237829/reviews)** | [4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 232 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 78.1% of reviews | **89.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 13 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [sky-nexus Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/512522554) | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) |

## What reviewers say

### Calcute

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calcute/id1415237829)

This calculator app allows users to personalize their experience with a selection of Japanese cute wallpapers. It prioritizes ease of use, enabling users to save calculation results and review their input process to quickly identify errors.

**Highlights:** Japanese cute wallpaper selection, Save calculation results, View input process, Error identification, Easy to use interface

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hides the ads in the app. | $1.99 | one-time |


### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608)

This app allows users to create a personal diary with a variety of cute stickers and backgrounds. It offers automatic saving of drafts, password protection for privacy, and the ability to insert photos. The app is also optimized for iPad use.

**Highlights:** Customizable stickers and backgrounds, Automatic draft saving, Password protection for privacy, iPad support with Apple Pencil, Photo insertion for diary entries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus Version | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and aesthetic design
- 📚 Helpful for journaling and planning
- 🎨 Customizable backgrounds and stickers
- 👍 Easy to use and organize
- 🥰 Fun and enjoyable experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free features, many paid options
- 🔑 Issues with login/access
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 📝 Limited font/formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to reopen saved pages
- Stickers not displaying properly in some cases
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Add more free stickers and customization options
- Improve syncing and backup functionality
- Allow creating custom backgrounds and stickers
- Introduce a dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calcute free?

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

### Is Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Calcute or Journal?

Calcute is rated higher. Calcute averages 4.7 out of 5 from 232 ratings, while Journal averages 4.6 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Calcute or Journal have ads?

Both Calcute and Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calcute or Journal?

Calcute ships an update every 13 months, and Journal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Calcute was updated on November 2, 2026 and Journal 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.*