# Best Journal vs Simple Diary, Journal, Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Simple Diary, Journal, Notes at 4.8 against Best Journal's 3.9. Simple Diary, Journal, Notes also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 52%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Best Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Simple Diary, Journal, Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Simple Diary, Journal, Notes has 172 ratings behind it against 29, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Best Journal's written reviews are positive against 86% of Simple Diary, Journal, Notes's.

Best Journal ships an update every 2 months, Simple Diary, Journal, Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Journal | Simple Diary, Journal, Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-journal-diary-notebook/id1484929963/reviews) | **[4.8 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-journal-notes/id1564645368/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | 51.7% of reviews | **86.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported |
| Size | 65 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nanjing LeMeng Network Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1431596998) | [Futoshi Niiho](https://appshunter.io/developer/1545504639) |

## What reviewers say

### Best Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-journal-diary-notebook/id1484929963)

This app allows users to record their lives through a digital diary, notebook, and memo function. It offers a wide range of templates, stickers, and fonts to personalize entries, along with free typesetting and drawing tools. Privacy is a key focus, with all data stored locally and under user control.

**Highlights:** Digital diary and notebook, Exquisite templates, Massive materials (wallpapers, stickers, tapes), Free handwritten fonts, Free typesetting, Doodle and drawing tools, Privacy-focused local storage

**In-app purchases:** none


### Simple Diary, Journal, Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-journal-notes/id1564645368)

This app offers a straightforward and aesthetically pleasing way to maintain a daily journal. Designed for users seeking simplicity, it avoids complex settings for an intuitive and stress-free journaling experience.

**Highlights:** Simple daily diary keeping, Easy-to-use interface, Beautiful and clean design, Intuitive management, Stress-free journaling

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and efficient
- 📝 Convenient for quick note-taking
- 🗓️ Automatic date tracking
- 📷 Ability to attach photos
- 🔒 Password protection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔤 Unable to adjust font size
- 🐛 Occasional data loss or disappearing entries
- 🖼️ Photo attachment process can be cumbersome

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing without explanation
- Crashes or freezes after recent update
- Issues with photo attachment and display

**Requested features**

- Allow editing of existing entries
- Display time of each entry
- Ability to change font style
- Option to print or export diary entries
- Calendar view with ability to navigate between months


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Journal free?

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

### Is Simple Diary, Journal, Notes free?

Simple Diary, Journal, Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Best Journal or Simple Diary, Journal, Notes?

Simple Diary, Journal, Notes is rated higher. Best Journal averages 3.9 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Simple Diary, Journal, Notes averages 4.8 from 172 ratings.

### Do Best Journal or Simple Diary, Journal, Notes have ads?

Both Best Journal and Simple Diary, Journal, Notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Best Journal or Simple Diary, Journal, Notes?

Best Journal ships an update every 2 months, and Simple Diary, Journal, Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Best Journal was updated on October 12, 2026 and Simple Diary, Journal, Notes on October 10, 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.*