# Simpler vs Journal Today

Simpler and Journal Today both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Simpler's written reviews are positive against 64% of Journal Today's. Simpler also leads on monetization model (free vs freemium) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). Journal Today's advantage is ratings volume (73 vs 16). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simpler sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Journal Today sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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 — 4.8 for Simpler against 4.8 for Journal Today. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 73 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Simpler's written reviews are positive against 64% of Journal Today's.

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, Journal Today every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simpler | Journal Today |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpler-diary-journal/id1443625358/reviews)** | [4.8 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-today-a-private-diary/id1586753437/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **73** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 63.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 70 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wayne Williams](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116831128) | [Yuan Fu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1586753439) |

## What reviewers say

### Simpler

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpler-diary-journal/id1443625358)

This prompt-based journal app makes reflection easy and fun. Capture moods, thoughts, and interests with guided questions, photos, videos, and voice-to-text entries. Personalize your diary and sync across devices.

**Highlights:** Prompt-based journaling, Add photos and videos, Voice-to-text entry, Customizable diary cover, Daily reminders, Touch/Face ID lock, Calendar view

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro | $3.99 | one-time |


### Journal Today

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-today-a-private-diary/id1586753437)

Easily record your thoughts, memories, and moods in a private digital journal. Organize entries with tags and photos, and keep your private thoughts secure with passcode and Face ID protection. Sync across all your devices for seamless access.

**Highlights:** Timeline of entries, Calendar view, Add photos to entries, Categorize with tags, Track moods, iCloud sync, Passcode/Face ID lock

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Annual | $18.49 | per year |
| Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simpler free?

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

### Is Journal Today free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simpler or Journal Today?

Simpler is rated higher. Simpler averages 4.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Journal Today averages 4.8 from 73 ratings.

### Do Simpler or Journal Today have ads?

Neither Simpler nor Journal Today shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simpler or Journal Today?

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, and Journal Today every 2 weeks. Most recently, Simpler was updated on November 2, 2026 and Journal Today 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.*