# Best Journal vs Ducky Notes

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ducky Notes at 95% against Best Journal's 52%. Ducky Notes also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.9) and ads (none vs shown). Best Journal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ducky Notes sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Best Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ducky Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ducky Notes has 647 ratings behind it against 30, 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 95% of Ducky Notes's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Best Journal | Ducky Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (30 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/best-journal-diary-notebook/id1484929963/reviews) | **[4.8 (647 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ducky-notes-cute-diary-app/id6444694291/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 30 | **647** |
| Positive reviews | 51.7% of reviews | **94.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nanjing LeMeng Network Technology Co., Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1431596998) | [HONGKONG COOLMIND LIMITED](https://appshunter.io/developer/1607306779) |

## 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


### Ducky Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ducky-notes-cute-diary-app/id6444694291)

This app offers a cute, themed journal for recording daily thoughts, moods, and growth. It provides a cozy atmosphere for writing, collaging with free materials, and tracking your progress with a monthly calendar view.

**Highlights:** Themed journaling with a cute character, Mood and growth tracking, Collage and journaling with free materials, Monthly calendar view for progress, Easy to use, three-step journal creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Material membership | $1.49 | per month |
| SVIP | $1.99 | per month |
| Cloud Saving | $1.99 | per year |
| Material membership | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| SVIP | $3.49 | per 3 months |
| Material membership | $9.99 | per year |
| SVIP | $10.99 | per year |
| SVIP | $10.99 | per year |
| Peach Smoothie | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cute and motivating design
- 🎨 Customizable templates and stickers
- 🔒 Private journal option
- 💡 Helpful for journaling and note-taking
- 🙌 Free to use with minimal ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Some features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or bugs
- ⏱️ Long download times for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Saving issues causing data loss
- Incompatibility with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add cloud sync/backup option
- Improve template and sticker selection
- Implement password protection for private journal


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Best Journal free?

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

### Is Ducky Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Best Journal or Ducky Notes?

Ducky Notes is rated higher. Best Journal averages 3.9 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Ducky Notes averages 4.8 from 647 ratings.

### Do Best Journal or Ducky Notes have ads?

Best Journal shows ads; Ducky Notes does not.

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

Best Journal ships an update every 2 months, and Ducky Notes every 2 months. Most recently, Best Journal was updated on October 23, 2026 and Ducky Notes on October 25, 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.*