# Secret Diary vs Throwback

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Throwback at none against Secret Diary's 2. Secret Diary's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 15 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Secret Diary sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Throwback asks for nothing beyond the download.

Secret Diary ships an update fortnightly, Throwback every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secret Diary | Throwback |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1507194395/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **111** | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 15 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 20 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nawal Amallou](https://appshunter.io/developer/1507194394) | [Thomas Turner](https://appshunter.io/developer/1610930426) |

## What reviewers say

### Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1507194395)

Securely record your daily thoughts, memories, and secrets. This app allows you to add photos and track your moods, all protected by a passcode. Personalize your journal with themes and easily search past entries.

**Highlights:** Save memories, notes, and ideas, Add photos and mood emojis, Unlimited photo storage, Personalize UI with themes, Passcode protection and data encryption, Powerful search and filter functions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $17.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🔒 Good for keeping secrets
- ❤️ Love the app
- ✍️ Great for writing thoughts
- 💯 Free to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Some features are pricey
- 💸 Advanced stuff is locked
- 😩 Too many ads
- 🤔 Unclear if entries are private
- 💸 Have to pay for certain things

**Reported bugs**

- Forgot password not working
- Password glitch
- App shuts out sometimes
- App cuts out and needs restarting
- Password input issues (0-9 vs 1-4)

**Requested features**

- Make fingerprint ID free
- Make advanced features free
- More color options
- More features


### Throwback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/throwback-reflection-diary/id6443944478)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secret Diary free?

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

### Is Throwback free?

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

### Do Secret Diary or Throwback have ads?

Neither Secret Diary nor Throwback shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Secret Diary or Throwback?

Secret Diary ships an update fortnightly, and Throwback every 15 months. Most recently, Secret Diary was updated on September 22, 2026 and Throwback on September 19, 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.*