# Diary Journal vs My Diary

The clearest difference is ads: Diary Journal at none against My Diary's shown. Diary Journal also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (368 vs 61). On price, update cadence, 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 My Diary sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary Journal has 368 ratings behind it against 61, 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 57% of My Diary's.

Diary Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, My Diary every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary Journal | My Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (368 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1572225395/reviews)** | [4.2 (61 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-diary-diary-with-lock/id6504290696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **368** | 61 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 57.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 57 MB | 148 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) | [CRECODE IT PROFESSIONALS (Private) LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751734478) |

## 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


### My Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-diary-diary-with-lock/id6504290696)

Safely store your thoughts, memories, and daily moments in a private, password-protected journal. Personalize your entries with photos, voice notes, and custom backgrounds. Track your mood over time to gain self-understanding and promote mental well-being.

**Highlights:** Password, fingerprint, and face ID protection, Add photos, audio clips, and sketches, Customizable backgrounds, stickers, and fonts, Daily mood tracking and insights, Calendar and report view for mood history, Intuitive and user-friendly design

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diary Weekly Premium | $2.49 | per 7 days |
| Diary Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Diary Monthly Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Diary Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Diary Yearly Premium | $13.99 | per year |
| Diary yearly Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Diary Lifetime Plan | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary Journal free?

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

### Is My Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary Journal or My Diary?

Diary Journal is rated higher. Diary Journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 368 ratings, while My Diary averages 4.2 from 61 ratings.

### Do Diary Journal or My Diary have ads?

My Diary shows ads; Diary Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Diary Journal or My Diary?

Diary Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and My Diary every 3 weeks. Most recently, Diary Journal was updated on November 3, 2026 and My Diary on November 5, 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.*