# MiniJournal private diary vs Diary with Lock

MiniJournal private diary and Diary with Lock both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 50% of MiniJournal private diary's written reviews are positive against 0% of Diary with Lock's. MiniJournal private diary also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). Diary with Lock's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MiniJournal private diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Diary with Lock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for MiniJournal private diary against 4.2 for Diary with Lock. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 19 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of MiniJournal private diary's written reviews are positive against 0% of Diary with Lock's.

MiniJournal private diary ships an update monthly, Diary with Lock every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MiniJournal private diary | Diary with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minijournal-private-diary/id1555923648/reviews)** | [4.2 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-idiary/id1625609721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **19** |
| Positive reviews | **50.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 24 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jamie Kelly](https://appshunter.io/developer/399364212) | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) |

## What reviewers say

### MiniJournal private diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minijournal-private-diary/id1555923648)

A private digital journal for capturing thoughts, memories, and daily events. It offers a secure and simple writing experience with no account required, and allows for rich entries with time, location, weather, and photos. Unlock all features permanently with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Simple text journaling, No account creation required, One-time purchase for full features, iCloud private storage, Export entries as JSON, Add time, location, weather, and photos, Customizable icons and themes

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Trial Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |


### Diary with Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-idiary/id1625609721)

Capture and cherish life's moments in a secure, beautifully designed digital journal. Add text, photos, and videos, track your mood and weather, and protect your entries with a passcode. Back up your memories to iCloud and export them as PDFs.

**Highlights:** Photo and text diary entries, Lock screen passcode protection, iCloud backup, Mood and weather tracking, Font customization, Intruder snapshots, PDF export

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iDiary Pro | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MiniJournal private diary free?

MiniJournal private diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Diary with Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MiniJournal private diary or Diary with Lock?

MiniJournal private diary is rated higher. MiniJournal private diary averages 4.3 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Diary with Lock averages 4.2 from 19 ratings.

### Do MiniJournal private diary or Diary with Lock have ads?

Neither MiniJournal private diary nor Diary with Lock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MiniJournal private diary or Diary with Lock?

MiniJournal private diary ships an update monthly, and Diary with Lock every 3 months. Most recently, MiniJournal private diary was updated on October 23, 2026 and Diary with Lock on October 24, 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.*