# Diary vs Memory

The clearest difference is rating: Memory at 5.0 against Diary's 4.6. Memory also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 77%). Diary's advantage is ratings volume (1.4K vs 8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Memory holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary has 1.4K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Memory's.

Diary ships an update every 2 months, Memory every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Memory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memory-event-countdown/id1615097227/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 77.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [智文 许](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570825478) | [Qing Gao](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570711102) |

## 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


### Memory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memory-event-countdown/id1615097227)

Easily track important dates and count down to special occasions like anniversaries, vacations, and holidays. Never miss a significant day again with this intuitive event reminder and day counter.

**Highlights:** Countdown to events, Count up from past events, Widgets for countdown and calendar, Customizable event icons, Add notes to events, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Memory Pro | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Memory free?

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

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

Memory is rated higher. Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Memory averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Diary or Memory have ads?

Both Diary and Memory show ads.

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

Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Memory every 6 weeks. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 12, 2026 and Memory on October 7, 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.*