# Photo Diary vs Write Memo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Write Memo at none against Photo Diary's 2. Write Memo also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). Photo Diary's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photo Diary sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Write Memo asks for nothing beyond the download.

Photo Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, Write Memo every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photo Diary | Write Memo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-diary-journal-with-lock/id1585453689/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **17** | — |
| Positive reviews | 43.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Naohito Muraoka](https://appshunter.io/developer/1509204317) | [kohei saiki](https://appshunter.io/developer/1640963707) |

## What reviewers say

### Photo Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-diary-journal-with-lock/id1585453689)

This app allows you to create a private journal with photos, thoughts, and daily moments. It offers a simple, offline experience with customizable themes, fonts, and a secure passcode lock. You can also sync your entries to Google Drive for backup and cross-device access.

**Highlights:** Photo diary with editor, Password lock for privacy, Offline journaling, Google Drive backup, Customizable themes and fonts, Multiple diary books, Timeline view

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Additional fonts | $2.00 | one-time |
| プレミアムサービス | $7.99 | one-time |


### Write Memo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/write-memo-handwriting-notes/id1668992797)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photo Diary free?

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

### Is Write Memo free?

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

### Do Photo Diary or Write Memo have ads?

Write Memo shows ads; Photo Diary does not.

### Which is updated more often, Photo Diary or Write Memo?

Photo Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and Write Memo every 3 days. Most recently, Photo Diary was updated on November 7, 2026 and Write Memo on October 30, 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.*