# My Journal vs Buddy Journal

The clearest difference is ratings volume: My Journal at 229 against Buddy Journal's 17. My Journal also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Buddy Journal's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Buddy Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: My Journal has 229 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of My Journal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Buddy Journal's.

My Journal ships an update monthly, Buddy Journal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | My Journal | Buddy Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (229 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-journal-cute-notes/id1597252938/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-journal-cute-diary/id6502621629/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **229** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hangzhou Shunchang Asset Management Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232519088) | [瑞媚 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731046721) |

## What reviewers say

### My Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-journal-cute-notes/id1597252938)

This app offers a digital journaling experience with customizable notebook covers and a wide array of decorative stickers and writing papers. It provides a secure way to record your thoughts and memories with password protection and unlimited storage. The app encourages daily reflection for personal growth and well-being.

**Highlights:** Simulation notebook with various covers, Security password protection, Rich collection of stickers and writing paper, Unlimited storage capacity, Simple drag-and-drop interface, Habit tracking for daily reflection

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

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


### Buddy Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-journal-cute-diary/id6502621629)

This app provides a user-friendly space to record daily thoughts, moods, and memories. It offers extensive customization options with backgrounds and stickers to personalize your entries and is accessible on mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Intuitive interface for easy journaling, Personalized backgrounds and stickers, Add text and images to entries, Record daily moods and memories, Mobile convenience for on-the-go use, iPad compatibility

**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 My Journal free?

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

### Is Buddy Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, My Journal or Buddy Journal?

Buddy Journal is rated higher. My Journal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 229 ratings, while Buddy Journal averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do My Journal or Buddy Journal have ads?

Both My Journal and Buddy Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, My Journal or Buddy Journal?

My Journal ships an update monthly, and Buddy Journal every 2 months. Most recently, My Journal was updated on November 3, 2026 and Buddy 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.*