# Best Journal vs Notes, notepad, notebook

The clearest difference is rating: Notes, notepad, notebook at 4.8 against Best Journal's 3.9. Notes, notepad, notebook also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 52%) and ads (none vs shown). Best Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Notes, notepad, notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes, notepad, notebook has 426 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 93% of Notes, notepad, notebook's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Journal | Notes, notepad, notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (29 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-journal-diary-notebook/id1484929963/reviews) | **[4.8 (426 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-notebook/id1643871615/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 29 | **426** |
| Positive reviews | 51.7% of reviews | **93.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 65 MB | 110 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nanjing LeMeng Network Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1431596998) | [Orange Dog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1673134885) |

## 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


### Notes, notepad, notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes-notepad-notebook/id1643871615)

Capture ideas, create lists, and organize your life with this easy-to-use note-taking app. Supports text, audio, images, and offers reminders, calendar integration, and sharing features.

**Highlights:** Text, audio, and image notes, To-do and shopping lists with checkboxes, Calendar integration and reminders, Note organization with folders and favorites, Search functionality, Note sharing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Journal free?

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

### Is Notes, notepad, notebook free?

Notes, notepad, notebook is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Best Journal or Notes, notepad, notebook?

Notes, notepad, notebook is rated higher. Best Journal averages 3.9 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while Notes, notepad, notebook averages 4.8 from 426 ratings.

### Do Best Journal or Notes, notepad, notebook have ads?

Best Journal shows ads; Notes, notepad, notebook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Best Journal or Notes, notepad, notebook?

Best Journal ships an update every 2 months, and Notes, notepad, notebook every 2 months. Most recently, Best Journal was updated on October 12, 2026 and Notes, notepad, notebook on October 18, 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.*