# Diary vs Onenote

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Diary at 78% against Onenote's 17%. Diary also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 135). Onenote's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Onenote sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary has 1.6K ratings behind it against 135, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 17% of Onenote's.

Diary ships an update every 2 months, Onenote every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Onenote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229/reviews)** | [4.2 (135 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onenote-a-good-note-app/id1632140492/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 135 |
| Positive reviews | **77.6% of reviews** | 16.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 109 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) | [Hangzhou Hongying Ketu Network Technology Co. Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611337359) |

## 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


### Onenote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/onenote-a-good-note-app/id1632140492)

This digital notebook app offers a creative space for journaling, planning, and drawing with a vast collection of cute stationery, stickers, and brushes. It supports offline saving and flexible editing for a personalized note-taking experience.

**Highlights:** Abundant stationery, backgrounds, and stickers, Real-time offline saving, Flexible editing of pictures, text, and stickers, Graffiti and hand-painting tools, Customizable notebook covers

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Prremium | $0.99 | per month |
| One month VIP | $2.99 | per month |
| 年会员 | $2.99 | per year |
| One year VIP | $13.49 | per year |
| 1Sticker package | $0.99 | one-time |
| permanent VIP | $19.99 | one-time |
| 永久会员 | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Onenote free?

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

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

Diary is rated higher. Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Onenote averages 4.2 from 135 ratings.

### Do Diary or Onenote have ads?

Both Diary and Onenote show ads.

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

Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Onenote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 24, 2026 and Onenote on October 24, 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.*