# Cute Journal vs Buddy Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: Cute Journal at every 3 weeks against Buddy Journal's every 2 months. Cute Journal also leads on ratings volume (133 vs 17) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Buddy Journal's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 88%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cute Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Cute Journal against 4.8 for Buddy Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cute Journal has 133 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Cute Journal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Buddy Journal's.

Cute Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, Buddy Journal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cute Journal | Buddy Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-journal-private-diary/id1602190978/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-journal-cute-diary/id6502621629/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **133** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 88.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 43 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [俊镇 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116584225) | [瑞媚 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731046721) |

## What reviewers say

### Cute Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-journal-private-diary/id1602190978)

Create a personalized digital journal with customizable backgrounds and materials. Secure your entries with a lock and enjoy ample space for all your thoughts. Offers various national and minimalist styles.

**Highlights:** Customizable backgrounds and materials, Book-like cover customization, Variety of national and minimalist styles, Large writing capacity, Secure and private entries, Lock feature for privacy

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $4.49 | per month |
| Quarterly Plus | $9.49 | per 3 months |
| Half a year Plus | $12.49 | per 6 months |


### 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 Cute Journal free?

Cute 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, Cute Journal or Buddy Journal?

Buddy Journal is rated higher. Cute Journal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 133 ratings, while Buddy Journal averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

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

Both Cute Journal and Buddy Journal show ads.

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

Cute Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, and Buddy Journal every 2 months. Most recently, Cute Journal was updated on November 3, 2026 and Buddy Journal on November 4, 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.*