# Guided Journal vs Happy Mood Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: Happy Mood Journal at every 3 weeks against Guided Journal's every 3 months. Happy Mood Journal also leads on ratings volume (221 vs 67). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Guided Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Happy Mood Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Guided Journal against 4.7 for Happy Mood Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 67 and 221 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Guided Journal's written reviews are positive against 94% of Happy Mood Journal's.

Guided Journal ships an update every 3 months, Happy Mood Journal every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Guided Journal | Happy Mood Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guided-journal/id1527459078/reviews) | **[4.7 (221 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/happy-mood-journal/id1559904280/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 67 | **221** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 94.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Applorium Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1688522804) | [Adam Cziko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1508288501) |

## What reviewers say

### Guided Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guided-journal/id1527459078)

This app provides daily prompts to encourage self-reflection and personal growth through a digital journal. Capture your thoughts, feelings, and daily accomplishments with guided questions. Upgrade for advanced features and an ad-free experience.

**Highlights:** Daily self-reflection prompts, Guided journaling, Photo diary entries, Track feelings and accomplishments, Subscription for premium features, Auto-renewable subscription options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly premium | $7.99 | per year |
| Lifetime premium | $14.99 | one-time |


### Happy Mood Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/happy-mood-journal/id1559904280)

Easily track your mood and daily activities with a few taps. This app allows you to add notes, photos, and personalized tags to your entries. It provides an overview of your progress, statistics, and offers daily reminders to help you stay on track.

**Highlights:** Track mood with a tap, Personalized tags for entries, Add notes and photos, Overview and statistics, Customizable activities, Daily reminders, Biometric journal lock

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Easy to use
- 📝 Helpful for journaling and tracking
- 🙌 Customizable and personalized
- 🧠 Aids mental health and self-reflection
- 🔒 Secure and private

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficult to find specific icons/categories
- 🔗 Lack of backup/export options
- 🖌️ Limited customization options (themes, fonts, etc.)

**Reported bugs**

- Some users reported lost/disappeared entries
- Occasional crashes or freezes reported

**Requested features**

- Allow multiple image uploads per entry
- Implement Apple Pencil support
- Add calendar view for mood/habit tracking
- Improve search and organization of icons/categories


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Guided Journal free?

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

### Is Happy Mood Journal free?

Happy Mood Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Guided Journal or Happy Mood Journal?

Happy Mood Journal is rated higher. Guided Journal averages 4.5 out of 5 from 67 ratings, while Happy Mood Journal averages 4.7 from 221 ratings.

### Do Guided Journal or Happy Mood Journal have ads?

Neither Guided Journal nor Happy Mood Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Guided Journal or Happy Mood Journal?

Guided Journal ships an update every 3 months, and Happy Mood Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Guided Journal was updated on November 3, 2026 and Happy Mood Journal 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.*