# Diary vs Journal

Diary and Journal both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 90% of Journal's written reviews are positive against 78% of Diary's. Diary's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Diary against 4.6 for Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 90% of Journal's.

Diary ships an update every 2 months, Journal every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 77.6% of reviews | **89.7% 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 | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [智文 许](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570825478) | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) |

## 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


### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608)

This app allows users to create a personal diary with a variety of cute stickers and backgrounds. It offers automatic saving of drafts, password protection for privacy, and the ability to insert photos. The app is also optimized for iPad use.

**Highlights:** Customizable stickers and backgrounds, Automatic draft saving, Password protection for privacy, iPad support with Apple Pencil, Photo insertion for diary entries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus Version | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and aesthetic design
- 📚 Helpful for journaling and planning
- 🎨 Customizable backgrounds and stickers
- 👍 Easy to use and organize
- 🥰 Fun and enjoyable experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free features, many paid options
- 🔑 Issues with login/access
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 📝 Limited font/formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to reopen saved pages
- Stickers not displaying properly in some cases
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Add more free stickers and customization options
- Improve syncing and backup functionality
- Allow creating custom backgrounds and stickers
- Introduce a dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Journal free?

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

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

Journal is rated higher. Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Journal averages 4.6 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Diary or Journal have ads?

Both Diary and Journal show ads.

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

Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Journal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 24, 2026 and Journal 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.*