# ClayLab vs PotteryJournal

The clearest difference is rating: ClayLab at 4.6 against PotteryJournal's 3.8. ClayLab also leads on review sentiment (92% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 21 months). PotteryJournal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and device support (3 vs 1). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ClayLab sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PotteryJournal asks for nothing beyond the download.

ClayLab holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ClayLab has 358 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of ClayLab's written reviews are positive against 50% of PotteryJournal's.

ClayLab ships an update every 2 months, PotteryJournal every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and July 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ClayLab | PotteryJournal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (358 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/claylab/id1455800155/reviews)** | [3.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potteryjournal/id1481502009/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **358** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **91.6% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 27 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lorenzo Calvani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455800154) | [Laurie Ekey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1481502008) |

## What reviewers say

### ClayLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/claylab/id1455800155)

A digital diary for ceramists to meticulously document their pottery projects. Track every stage, from forming to firing, and record detailed information about glazes, clay bodies, and application techniques. Organize and retrieve your work with advanced search and backup features.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive progress tracking, Detailed documentation of glazes and materials, Advanced search and filtering, Data backup and import/export, Layering and application details logging, Unlimited photos per piece

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for organizing pottery pieces
- 👍 Customizable options for clays, glazes, and forms
- 📸 Ability to take and store photos of pieces
- 🗒️ Detailed notes and tracking capabilities
- 🔍 Useful for remembering glaze combinations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 No backup or export functionality
- 🔍 Lack of search and filtering options
- 🔢 Limited to 3 glaze layers per piece
- 📏 No metric measurement options
- 🗑️ Unable to delete pre-populated options

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional crashes or performance issues
- Data loss when changing devices or reinstalling

**Requested features**

- Add hand-building option alongside thrown pieces
- Ability to track firing details (cone, atmosphere, etc.)
- Option to create custom categories (e.g., sold, gifted)
- Search and filter by glaze, clay, form, etc.
- Sync data across devices (iCloud, etc.)


### PotteryJournal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/potteryjournal/id1481502009)

Organize and track your custom-made pottery pieces. This application helps you log details about each creation, ensuring you can easily manage your artistic inventory.

**Highlights:** Log custom pottery pieces, Track creation details, Organize artistic inventory, Manage pottery projects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ClayLab free?

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

### Is PotteryJournal free?

PotteryJournal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ClayLab or PotteryJournal?

ClayLab is rated higher. ClayLab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 358 ratings, while PotteryJournal averages 3.8 from 9 ratings.

### Do ClayLab or PotteryJournal have ads?

Neither ClayLab nor PotteryJournal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ClayLab or PotteryJournal?

ClayLab ships an update every 2 months, and PotteryJournal every 21 months. Most recently, ClayLab was updated on September 23, 2026 and PotteryJournal on July 5, 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.*