# Simpler vs Fresh Diary

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simpler at free against Fresh Diary's free with in-app purchases. Simpler also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Fresh Diary's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simpler sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Fresh Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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 4.9 for Fresh Diary. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 30 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, Fresh Diary every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simpler | Fresh Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simpler-diary-journal/id1443625358/reviews) | **[4.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fresh-diary-pure-diarynotes/id6443731752/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **30** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 70 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wayne Williams](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116831128) | [峰峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648860305) |

## 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 |


### Fresh Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fresh-diary-pure-diarynotes/id6443731752)

A minimalist and private journaling app with a powerful rich text editor. Track your moods, visualize your entries on a map, and set yearly goals. Securely sync across devices and export your memories.

**Highlights:** Rich text editor, Diary footprints on map, Mood statistics, Calendar view, Year goals, Cloud synchronization, Bulk export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月度会员 | $0.99 | per month |
| 年度会员 | $6.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simpler free?

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

### Is Fresh Diary free?

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

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

Fresh Diary is rated higher. Simpler averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Fresh Diary averages 4.9 from 30 ratings.

### Do Simpler or Fresh Diary have ads?

Neither Simpler nor Fresh Diary shows ads.

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

Simpler ships an update every 3 weeks, and Fresh Diary every 6 days. Most recently, Simpler was updated on September 25, 2026 and Fresh Diary on October 9, 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.*