# My Diary vs Praying Mantis

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Praying Mantis at none against My Diary's 9. Praying Mantis also leads on ads (none vs shown). My Diary's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. My Diary sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Praying Mantis asks for nothing beyond the download.

My Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, Praying Mantis every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | My Diary | Praying Mantis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (28K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-diary-journal-with-lock/id1579321589/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **28K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 71.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 119 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BetterApp Tech Co., Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1579321591) | [Christian Strydom](https://appshunter.io/developer/1677542446) |

## What reviewers say

### My Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-diary-journal-with-lock/id1579321589)

This app offers a secure and personalized digital journal for recording daily thoughts, memories, and emotions. Enhance entries with photos, themes, and mood tracking. It's designed to support mental well-being by providing a private space for self-reflection and emotional processing.

**Highlights:** Password-protected diary, Add photos and drawings, Customizable themes and backgrounds, Mood tracking and analysis, Rich text editing, Journaling guides

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diary VIP ( Month ) | $2.99 | per month |
| Diary VIP ( Month ) | $2.99 | per month |
| Diary Subscription Yearly | $16.99 | per year |
| My Diary Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| My Diary Premium Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| My Diary Yearly VIP | $23.99 | per year |
| Diary Permanent VIP | $29.99 | one-time |
| Permanent VIP | $39.99 | one-time |
| My Diary Permanent VIP | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure with password, fingerprint, and security question options
- 📝 Easy to write and express thoughts
- 🎨 Customizable with themes, stickers, and photos
- 🗓️ Helpful for tracking moods and daily activities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Many features locked behind premium paywall
- 🔍 Limited free theme and sticker options
- 🐛 Issues with formatting, text editing, and photo placement
- 🔄 Requires restoring purchases frequently

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or freezing
- Entries not saving properly
- Inconsistent behavior with password/lock features

**Requested features**

- Ability to sync across devices
- More free customization options
- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Better organization tools like folders or tags


### Praying Mantis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/praying-mantis/id6792371026)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is My Diary free?

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

### Is Praying Mantis free?

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

### Do My Diary or Praying Mantis have ads?

My Diary shows ads; Praying Mantis does not.

### Which is updated more often, My Diary or Praying Mantis?

My Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and Praying Mantis every 10 days. Most recently, My Diary was updated on November 4, 2026 and Praying Mantis on October 20, 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.*