# Journalio vs BeforeVault

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BeforeVault at 100% against Journalio's 25%. BeforeVault also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.7) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Journalio's advantage is device support (5 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journalio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. BeforeVault asks for nothing beyond the download.

BeforeVault holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 9 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Journalio's written reviews are positive against 100% of BeforeVault's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journalio | BeforeVault |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journalio/id1571060156/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beforevault/id1667165865/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 9 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Lukas Pistrol](https://appshunter.io/developer/1057723256) | [Before Vault LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1667166017) |

## What reviewers say

### Journalio

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journalio/id1571060156)

This app helps you monitor your daily emotions and mental well-being over time with detailed statistics and customizable mood tracking. Securely sync your entries across Apple devices and protect your journal with biometric authentication.

**Highlights:** Daily mood and journal entries, Customizable mood colors and tags, Daily reminders, Apple Watch integration, iCloud sync across devices, Monthly and yearly overviews, Home screen widgets, Biometric journal security

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month – 3 Day trial | $1.99 | per month |
| 1 Year – 1 Month Free | $5.99 | per year |


### BeforeVault

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beforevault/id1667165865)

Securely store and organize vital life documents like IDs, financial records, and legal papers. This platform prioritizes user privacy and data security with enterprise-grade encryption and daily backups, ensuring your information is always under your control.

**Highlights:** Secure document storage, Organize vital life documents, Enterprise-grade encryption, Daily backups, User-owned content, 100% ad-free

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journalio free?

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

### Is BeforeVault free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Journalio or BeforeVault?

BeforeVault is rated higher. Journalio averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while BeforeVault averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Journalio or BeforeVault have ads?

Neither Journalio nor BeforeVault shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Journalio or BeforeVault?

Journalio ships an update weekly, and BeforeVault weekly. Most recently, Journalio was updated on September 20, 2026 and BeforeVault on October 9, 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.*