# JotJournal vs Text Diary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Text Diary at none against JotJournal's 4. Text Diary also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.4). JotJournal's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. JotJournal sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Text Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Text Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 7 respectively.

JotJournal ships an update weekly, Text Diary every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | JotJournal | Text Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotjournal-private-diary/id1575315251/reviews) | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-diary-journal-notebook/id1620144716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 78.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 101 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naohito Muraoka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509204317) | [FugaPiyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497887610) |

## What reviewers say

### JotJournal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotjournal-private-diary/id1575315251)

This app offers a simple and intuitive journaling experience with an SNS-style interface. Create a private timeline to record your thoughts and emotions without complicated settings. It's designed for users seeking an easy-to-use, visually appealing daily diary.

**Highlights:** SNS style diary, Simple and beautiful design, Easy to use interface, Private timeline creation, Stress-free diary management

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Annual | $5.99 | per year |
| Premium outright purchase | $19.99 | one-time |
| Premium outright purchase | $24.99 | one-time |


### Text Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-diary-journal-notebook/id1620144716)

A free and simple text-based journaling app that allows unlimited entries. Organize your thoughts with folders, colors, and tags, and easily search or filter your past entries. Enjoy a comfortable user experience with quick startup and dark mode.

**Highlights:** Unlimited daily diary entries, Organize by folder, color, tag, Searchable diary entries, Filter by date or tag, Quick startup and comfortable operation, Dark mode support, Completely free to use

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is JotJournal free?

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

### Is Text Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, JotJournal or Text Diary?

Text Diary is rated higher. JotJournal averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Text Diary averages 4.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do JotJournal or Text Diary have ads?

Both JotJournal and Text Diary show ads.

### Which is updated more often, JotJournal or Text Diary?

JotJournal ships an update weekly, and Text Diary every 2 months. Most recently, JotJournal was updated on November 7, 2026 and Text 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.*