# Diary vs Cute notes

Diary and Cute notes both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Cute notes's written reviews are positive against 78% of Diary's. Cute notes also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). Diary's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 57). On price, rating, 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 Cute notes 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 4.7 for Cute notes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary has 1.6K ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Diary's written reviews are positive against 100% of Cute notes's.

Diary ships an update every 2 months, Cute notes fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary | Cute notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id1590102229/reviews) | **[4.7 (57 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-notes-daily-planner/id6450250349/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 57 |
| Positive reviews | 77.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 65 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [智文 许](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570825478) | [琳 崔](https://appshunter.io/developer/1526482412) |

## 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


### Cute notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-notes-daily-planner/id6450250349)

This app allows users to create beautiful digital journals and notes with customizable stickers and backgrounds. It offers powerful editing tools for combining text, images, and stickers, making it ideal for personal diaries, planning, and creative projects.

**Highlights:** Customizable stickers and backgrounds, Image and text integration, Portable journaling, Note-taking, Account keeping, Planning tool, Travel guide creation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus quarterly | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Diary free?

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

### Is Cute notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary or Cute notes?

Cute notes is rated higher. Diary averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Cute notes averages 4.7 from 57 ratings.

### Do Diary or Cute notes have ads?

Both Diary and Cute notes show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Diary or Cute notes?

Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Cute notes fortnightly. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 24, 2026 and Cute notes 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.*