# Minimal Diary vs Fresh Diary

The clearest difference is rating: Fresh Diary at 4.9 against Minimal Diary's 4.7. Fresh Diary also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Minimal Diary sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Fresh Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Fresh Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 31 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Minimal Diary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Fresh Diary's.

Minimal Diary ships an update fortnightly, Fresh Diary every 6 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Minimal Diary | Fresh Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimal-diary-life-timeline/id1568936702/reviews) | **[4.9 (31 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fresh-diary-pure-diarynotes/id6443731752/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 28 | **31** |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 36 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chaoyang Minimal Software Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1065436362) | [峰峰 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1648860305) |

## What reviewers say

### Minimal Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minimal-diary-life-timeline/id1568936702)

This app offers a simple way to capture daily thoughts, feelings, and moments. Organize entries with tags and revisit memories on a clear timeline. It's designed for quick, pressure-free journaling.

**Highlights:** Timeline journal organization, Minimalist design for focus, Tagging for memory organization, Quick date navigation, Private and secure entries

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $8.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Pro | $29.99 | one-time |


### Fresh Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fresh-diary-pure-diarynotes/id6443731752)

A minimalist and private journaling app with a powerful rich text editor. Track your moods, visualize your entries on a map, and set yearly goals. Securely sync across devices and export your memories.

**Highlights:** Rich text editor, Diary footprints on map, Mood statistics, Calendar view, Year goals, Cloud synchronization, Bulk export

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 月度会员 | $0.99 | per month |
| 年度会员 | $6.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Membership | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Minimal Diary free?

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

### Is Fresh Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Minimal Diary or Fresh Diary?

Fresh Diary is rated higher. Minimal Diary averages 4.7 out of 5 from 28 ratings, while Fresh Diary averages 4.9 from 31 ratings.

### Do Minimal Diary or Fresh Diary have ads?

Neither Minimal Diary nor Fresh Diary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Minimal Diary or Fresh Diary?

Minimal Diary ships an update fortnightly, and Fresh Diary every 6 days. Most recently, Minimal Diary was updated on November 3, 2026 and Fresh Diary 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.*