# Diary vs DailyRetro

The clearest difference is ads: DailyRetro at none against Diary's shown. DailyRetro also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Diary's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 2) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and DailyRetro sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DailyRetro holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary has 1.6K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Diary ships an update every 2 months, DailyRetro weekly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | DailyRetro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 77.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [智文 许](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570825478) | [Liqiang Wang](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592234035) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229)

This app allows you to record your daily thoughts, moods, and experiences in a private digital journal. It offers a visually appealing way to document memories and review your emotional journey over time.

**Highlights:** Write journal entries, Record daily moods, Rich visual materials, Mood review feature, Private notebook

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $2.49 | per month |
| Quarterly Plus | $4.49 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for staying on track
- 👍 Fun and enjoyable experience
- 👍 Great for OC diaries
- 👍 Aesthetically pleasing
- 👍 Calming and relaxing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 💰 Paywall for certain features like password protection
- 🤔 Some language barriers for non-Chinese users
- 🤔 Ads can be intrusive
- 🤔 Limited customization options without premium version

**Reported bugs**

- Deleted user entries
- Sticker issues causing data loss
- Compatibility problems on older devices

**Requested features**

- Password protection or locking feature for free users
- More plain text editing options
- Ability to enlarge text
- Improved syncing and backup functionality
- Expanded language support


### DailyRetro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dailyretro/id1605680196)

This app helps you track habits, record thoughts with photos and markdown, and stay organized with daily reminders. It offers passcode and iCloud support for privacy and data backup.

**Highlights:** Diary keeping with photos and markdown, Habit tracking for routine management, Daily reminders and notifications, Passcode support for privacy, iCloud support for data backup and sync

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Buy me a coffee | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is DailyRetro free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary or DailyRetro?

DailyRetro is rated higher. Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while DailyRetro averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Diary or DailyRetro have ads?

Diary shows ads; DailyRetro does not.

### Which is updated more often, Diary or DailyRetro?

Diary ships an update every 2 months, and DailyRetro weekly. Most recently, Diary was updated on November 3, 2026 and DailyRetro 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.*