Comparison

Kake Journal vs Leaf Journal

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

Head to head
About

Kake Journal

A free, ad-free journaling app with a minimalist design for a soothing writing experience. It offers robust privacy features, including passcode and biometric locks, and allows easy export of entries to various formats. Customize your interface and sync across devices.

Highlights
  • Minimalist black and white design
  • Passcode, Face ID, and Touch ID protection
  • Export entries to PDF, PNG, TXT, DOC, CSV
  • iCloud sync and data export
  • Customizable UI with light/dark/black modes
  • Multi-device compatibility (iPhone, iPad, M1 Macbook)
Features
Read full description

Kake is a journal-writing app with a minimal design, providing a light-weight experience and easy-to-use functionalities. It is completely free of ads and does not collect any data. ■ Minimalist Design Featuring a black and white main tone, Kake offers a soothing visual experience similar to iOS. You can choose from multiple layouts according to your preference. ■ Clear Functionality The app consists of four modules: Month, Calendar, Favs, and Setting. It enables quick creation of entries, allows calendar searches, and lets you mark favorite diaries. ■ Smooth Editing Experience Enhancing your editing process, Kake allows you to effortlessly add images and change font sizes using a pinch gesture. You can also add timestamps, dismiss the keyboard, and directly convert your entries to various file formats such as PDF, PNG, TXT, DOC, and CSV. ■ Privacy Protection To safeguard your privacy, Kake offers passcode, Face ID, and Touch ID protection, along with auto and manual lock features. It supports iCloud sync and allows you to export all your data to a .csv file. Rest assured, Kake does not collect any form of data. ■ Customizable UI Kake seamlessly adapts to your preferences by automatically switching between light and dark modes. It even offers a black mode specifically designed for OLED devices. Additionally, you have the option to change the app icon to match your other apps. ■ Multi-Device Compatibility Kake is compatible with both iPhone and iPad, supporting multitasking. To use the app on an M1 Macbook, simply go to 'Kake - Preferences' and turn on 'Touch Alternatives'. Stay tuned for more exciting features coming soon!

About

Leaf Journal

This app allows you to securely record your life, emotions, and memories with password protection for both the app and individual journals. Customize your entries with a variety of materials and editing tools, and easily share your creations.

Highlights
  • Password protection for app and journals
  • Rich material library (stickers, fonts, backgrounds)
  • Mixed editing with free typesetting
  • Multiple customizable electronic journals
  • Journal sharing as images
  • Creative content creation tools
Features
Read full description

Leaf Journal is an app that replaces paper diaries and pocket accounts. Both the application and the account book are equipped with a password protection function, where you can safely record life, emotions, small secrets, travel Journal, etc. "Material Market" Rich materials such as stickers, lines, backgrounds, fonts, etc. are available in Ono. "Mixed Editing" Background+text+picture+sticker+motion free typesetting, 100% creative. "Electronic Journal" Support to create multiple electronic Journals to meet the needs of classification, but also customize the cover. "password protection" The APP and each handbook can be set with unique passwords, so there is no need to worry about the exposure of small secrets. "Journal Sharing" The completed pocketbook can be saved as a picture and it is super easy to share. Day after day, seemingly insignificant, will suddenly make people see the meaning of persistence. Hurry up and download Leaf Journal to record your growth. This subscription will be automatically renewed through your iTunes account, and the renewal fee will be deducted from your package within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. You can manage or cancel the automatic renewal at the account settings. Cancellation of the automatic renewal must be at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. If your trial has not ended, the remaining days will automatically expire after you start the subscription. To open the subscription, you need to agree to the following terms Terms of Service: http://xiaoye.kindofpure.cn/xiaoya/zh_terms.html Privacy Terms: http://xiaoye.kindofpure.cn/xiaoya/zh_doc.html

Screenshots

Kake Journal4 screens
Leaf Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Kake Journal at 93% against Leaf Journal's 41%. Kake Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Kake Journal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Leaf Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kake Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 42 and 93 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Kake Journal's written reviews are positive against 41% of Leaf Journal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kake Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, Leaf Journal every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kake Journal versus Leaf Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKake JournalLeaf Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (42 ratings) — better4.4 (93 ratings)
Positive reviews92.9% of reviews — better41.2% of reviews
Number of ratings4293 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer天成 黄朝霞 彭

Customer experience

Kake Journal

All ratings42 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.6%

Leaf Journal

All ratings93 ratings
Positive82.8%
Neutral6.5%
Negative10.8%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive41.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative52.9%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Kake Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Kake Pro Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Kake Pro Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Buy developer a coffee$0.99
  • Unlock All Features$9.99
3 purchases

Leaf Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Leaf Plus3 Days trial$1.491 Month
  • Quarterly Leaf Plus3 Days trial$4.493 Months
One-time1
  • Leaf Journal VIP$5.99

Questions

Is Kake Journal free?
Kake Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Leaf Journal free?
Leaf Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kake Journal or Leaf Journal?
Kake Journal is rated higher. Kake Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 42 ratings, while Leaf Journal averages 4.4 from 93 ratings.
Do Kake Journal or Leaf Journal have ads?
Leaf Journal shows ads; Kake Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, Kake Journal or Leaf Journal?
Kake Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Leaf Journal every 3 months. Most recently, Kake Journal was updated on September 21, 2026 and Leaf Journal on September 22, 2026.

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