# Secret Diary vs Notata

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Notata at none against Secret Diary's 2. Notata also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Secret Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, Notata every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secret Diary | Notata |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-with-lock/id1507194395/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **112** | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Size | 263 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nawal Amallou](https://appshunter.io/developer/1507194394) | [Rufus Howe](https://appshunter.io/developer/6782734967) |

## 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, Vision Pro support

**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


### Notata

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notata/id6782734965)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Secret Diary free?

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

### Is Notata free?

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

### Do Secret Diary or Notata have ads?

Neither Secret Diary nor Notata shows ads.

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

Secret Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and Notata every 4 days. Most recently, Secret Diary was updated on November 3, 2026 and Notata on October 31, 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.*