# Diary Journal vs Diary with Lock

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Diary Journal at 67% against Diary with Lock's 0%. Diary Journal also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (367 vs 20). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary Journal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per year 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.

Diary Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary Journal has 367 ratings behind it against 20, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Diary Journal's written reviews are positive against 0% of Diary with Lock's.

Diary Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, Diary with Lock every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary Journal | Diary with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (367 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1572225395/reviews)** | [4.3 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock-idiary/id1625609721/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **367** | 20 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 57 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) | [Heyou Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480358223) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1572225395)

This app provides a secure and private digital space for recording thoughts, memories, and dreams. It encourages self-reflection and personal growth through daily journaling, ensuring all entries are kept confidential.

**Highlights:** Secret diary entries, Log life events and progress, Record emotions and feelings, Password protection for privacy, Encourages self-reflection, Modern journal interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diary Pro 1 Year | $19.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Password protection and privacy features
- 📹 Video diary functionality highly valued
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive interface
- 📸 Ability to add photos and videos to entries
- 🎙️ Audio recording capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Limited free version (one entry per day)
- 💰 Premium features behind paywall
- 🔐 Password recovery impossible if forgotten
- 📱 Data transfer issues between devices
- ☁️ Backup to cloud not working reliably

**Reported bugs**

- Video uploads fail and crash repeatedly
- Long video entries don't save properly
- Data doesn't transfer to new phone despite cloud backup
- Import from ZIP file causes app to close
- App crashes when importing exported data

**Requested features**

- Timestamp for each journal entry
- Password reset or recovery option
- Multiple entries per day in free version
- Font customization (size, bold, italics, underline)
- Location tagging for entries


### 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 Diary Journal free?

Diary Journal 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, Diary Journal or Diary with Lock?

Diary Journal is rated higher. Diary Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 367 ratings, while Diary with Lock averages 4.3 from 20 ratings.

### Do Diary Journal or Diary with Lock have ads?

Neither Diary Journal nor Diary with Lock shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Diary Journal or Diary with Lock?

Diary Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and Diary with Lock every 3 months. Most recently, Diary Journal was updated on September 13, 2026 and Diary with Lock on September 8, 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.*