# Simpler vs Purple Diary

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simpler at free against Purple Diary's free with in-app purchases. Simpler also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 85%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.0). Purple Diary's advantage is ratings volume (94 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 Purple Diary sells 10 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 Purple Diary. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Purple Diary has 94 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Simpler's written reviews are positive against 85% of Purple Diary's.

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, Purple Diary fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simpler | Purple Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpler-diary-journal/id1443625358/reviews)** | [4.8 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purple-diary-journal-and-lock/id1591910683/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 16 | **94** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 84.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 70 MB | 224 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wayne Williams](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116831128) | [Luka Katsadze](https://appshunter.io/developer/1591910685) |

## 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 |


### Purple Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/purple-diary-journal-and-lock/id1591910683)

This app allows you to document your life through writing, adding photos, and tracking your daily mood. You can customize its appearance, organize entries with tags, and secure your private thoughts with a password lock. It's designed to be an intuitive digital journal for personal reflection and memory keeping.

**Highlights:** Daily journaling with text and photos, Mood tracking for emotional awareness, Customizable themes and appearance, Password protection for privacy, Calendar view of journal history, Tagging for easy search

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium (Annual) | $9.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium (Annual) | $21.49 | per year |
| Premium (Lifetime) | $32.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Lifetime) | $34.99 | one-time |
| Premium (Annual) | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simpler free?

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

### Is Purple Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Simpler or Purple Diary?

Simpler is rated higher. Simpler averages 4.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Purple Diary averages 4.8 from 94 ratings.

### Do Simpler or Purple Diary have ads?

Neither Simpler nor Purple Diary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simpler or Purple Diary?

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, and Purple Diary fortnightly. Most recently, Simpler was updated on November 2, 2026 and Purple Diary on November 7, 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.*