Comparison

Private Journal vs Instead

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Private Journal

This app offers a secure and private journaling experience with a simple, user-friendly design. It focuses on helping users track their moods and daily experiences to foster happiness and positivity. All data is stored locally or in private iCloud, with no ads or logins required.

Highlights
  • Simple and intuitive design
  • Secure local and iCloud storage
  • Face ID/Touch ID protection
  • No login or ads
  • Supports accessibility features
  • Fair and transparent pricing
Features
Read full description

Punkt is the German word for punctuation mark. Punkt makes journaling secure, private, easy and fun. But the best of starting a journal now is that you become a happier person. Here's what makes Punkt special: * EASY TO USE * Punkt's focus is on a simple design. Your stories are the most important part of the app, so why should we distract you with any other complicated stuff? * SECURE AND PRIVATE * Punkt saves your stories on your local device and in your private iCloud. No one but you can read your stories. You can also protect your stories with Face ID or Touch ID. * NO LOGIN, NO ADS * Punkt works without sharing any personally identifiable information. The app is focused on simplicity and privacy. There is no login, no Facebook or Google SDKs, no analytics tracking, no server connection. Everything you do in Punkt is truly private and secure. * ACCESSIBILITY * Punkt supports dynamic type, voice-over and voice control. It is designed to be used by everyone. I would welcome any feedback regarding accessibility as this is truly important to me. * FAIR PRICING * Punkt is developed just by one developer, therefore I want to make really fair and transparent pricing. If Punkt makes you just a little bit happier, you can help to contribute that the app stays independent and does not need to display ads or require personal data. --------------- Why did I start building this app? I'm a startup founder myself and I've been through very rough but also hyper exciting and happy times. That's tough by itself, but if one of your loved ones is helpless in pain and suffers then your world stops spinning. Bad times in business and private life made me think about how I can get out of this and become more positive and happier in the end. I've researched a lot and came across the one-sentence journaling technique. Long story short, I've started tracking my days in a Google Sheet. With just a few clicks I could make myself smile again by reading stories about happy days. But also the other way round, looking at rough times makes you appreciate even more what you have in your life. Now I want to help other people with this app. If you have any feedback you can reach out at https://punktapp.me or gregor@punktapp.me ============ Should you choose to support the development of this app and unlock all premium features of Punkt, payments will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period and cancellation of the current active subscription period is not allowed. Auto-renewal may be turned off in your Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. You can read our privacy policy at https://punktapp.me/privacy-policy You can read our terms of use at https://punktapp.me/terms App Preview Music: www.bensound.com

About

Instead

Features
Read full description

Instead helps you replace bad habits with good ones. When you skip a bad habit like smoking, record what you did instead and track your progress. Features: • Track time filled and money redirected • Filter by day, week, month, year, or all time • Simple, distraction-free interface • All data stored locally How it works: 1. Set your target bad habit (e.g., Smoking) 2. When you skip it, tap "Instead, I..." 3. Record what you did instead 4. Watch your progress grow

Screenshots

Private Journal4 screens
Instead1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Instead at none against Private Journal's 6. Private Journal's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Private Journal sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Instead asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Private Journal ships an update weekly, Instead every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Private Journal versus Instead: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrivate JournalInstead
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (542 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings542 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGregor PichlerTakayuki Nakamura

Bugs and requests

Private Journal

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when exporting journal
  • Inconsistent behavior when writing late at night
  • Restore purchases not working on iPad

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add iPad and macOS app support
  • Allow editing of past entries
  • Expand mood/reason options
  • Provide more detailed analytics and data visualization
  • Add ability to change entry dates
Show 1 more
  • Implement iCloud/cloud sync support

Instead

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Private Journal

Subscriptions4
  • Punkt Premium Monthly$1.491 Month
  • Punkt Premium Monthly3 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Punkt Premium Monthly3 Days trial$3.491 Month
Show 1 more
  • Punkt Premium Yearly3 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Punkt Premium Lifetime Special$19.99
  • Punkt Premium Lifetime$49.99
None

Instead

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Private Journal free?
Private Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Instead free?
Instead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Private Journal or Instead have ads?
Neither Private Journal nor Instead shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Private Journal or Instead?
Private Journal ships an update weekly, and Instead every 6 months. Most recently, Private Journal was updated on October 10, 2026 and Instead on October 5, 2026.

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