# Clearful vs Self

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Self at none against Clearful's 5. Clearful's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Clearful sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

Clearful ships an update monthly, Self every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Clearful | Self |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (3.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clearful-journal-and-diary/id1513257639/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3.1K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 84.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 139 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Clearful Journal, Mindfulness Diary and Mental Health Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1513257638) | [Martin Tseng](https://appshunter.io/developer/1217065716) |

## What reviewers say

### Clearful

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/clearful-journal-and-diary/id1513257639)

This app provides a secure and private space for personal growth and mental well-being. Capture thoughts, emotions, and experiences with rich text, photos, and audio. Organize entries with powerful formatting and rediscover past moments to gain insights.

**Highlights:** Text, photo, and audio journaling, Rich text editor with 13+ formatting options, Rediscover past entries and track progress, Encrypted, secure, and private journaling, Cross-device sync (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Web), Extensive library of guided journal prompts, Customizable templates and collections

**Features:** Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Journal & Diary - Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Journal & Diary - Pro Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Clearful Pro: Journal & Diary | $59.99 | per year |
| Journal & Diary - Pro Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Journal & Diary - Pro Yearly | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 📝 Helpful writing prompts
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 🗓️ Useful for daily journaling
- 💭 Promotes self-reflection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔓 Lack of offline access
- 🖼️ Limited free features (e.g. no image uploads)
- 🤖 Aggressive upselling of paid version

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes or freezes
- Syncing issues across devices
- Password/login problems

**Requested features**

- Ability to customize text color and font
- Integration with music or ambient sounds
- Offline journaling capabilities
- More free templates and prompts
- Improved accessibility features


### Self

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/self-esteem-test/id6465788672)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Clearful free?

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

### Is Self free?

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

### Do Clearful or Self have ads?

Neither Clearful nor Self shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Clearful or Self?

Clearful ships an update monthly, and Self every 4 months. Most recently, Clearful was updated on November 3, 2026 and Self on November 3, 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.*