Comparison

the open diaries vs Shift Box

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

the open diaries

This app provides a secure and visually appealing space for journaling your thoughts and daily experiences. You can keep entries private, share them anonymously, or send messages to your future self. Customize your writing environment with different wallpapers and fonts.

Highlights
  • Private diary entries
  • Anonymous public sharing
  • Letters to future self
  • Customizable wallpapers
  • Adjustable fonts
  • Privacy editing for notes
Features
Read full description

The Open Diaries is the perfect Diary writing app. A safe and beautiful place to empty your thoughts and clear your mind. Write your day in your private diary and keep them locked. Or share them publicly using an anonymous pen name. Public Notes will be visible to everyone on the platform. You can edit the privacy of your notes anytime. It also features switching between different wallpapers and fonts to help you get into the perfect diary writing mood. You can also send letters to your future self and remind yourself of this day today after 10 Years. Built with lots of Love...

About

Shift Box

Features
Read full description

Tired of writing your rotating shifts on paper calendars? Shift Box is the simplest shift calendar app designed for nurses, firefighters, police officers, and anyone with a changing schedule. Organize your work-life balance effortlessly. [Key Features] 1. One-Tap Shift Entry Create your own shift patterns and fill up your monthly calendar in seconds. No more tedious typing. 2. Fully Customizable Shifts Define your own shift types like "Day", "Night", "Off", or "Swing". Choose your favorite colors and names. 3. Group Sharing Create groups with friends, family, or colleagues. Check each other's rosters in one place and plan hangouts easily. 4. Monthly Statistics Visualize your work history. See how many night shifts or holidays you worked this month with clear charts. 5. Secure Cloud Backup Never lose your data. Log in with Apple or Google to safely backup and restore your schedule anytime, anywhere.

Screenshots

the open diaries4 screens
Shift Box4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Shift Box at every 5 days against the open diaries's every 2 months. the open diaries's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

the open diaries ships an update every 2 months, Shift Box every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
the open diaries versus Shift Box: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameterthe open diariesShift Box
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKiot Communications LLPmyungkyu namkung

In-app purchases

None

the open diaries

No in-app purchases

None

Shift Box

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is the open diaries free?
the open diaries is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shift Box free?
Shift Box is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do the open diaries or Shift Box have ads?
Both the open diaries and Shift Box show ads.
Which is updated more often, the open diaries or Shift Box?
the open diaries ships an update every 2 months, and Shift Box every 5 days. Most recently, the open diaries was updated on November 2, 2026 and Shift Box on October 28, 2026.

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