# Text Diary vs Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Journal at 5.0 against Text Diary's 4.5. Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). Text Diary's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and ratings volume (6 vs 1). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Text Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Journal holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Text Diary has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Text Diary ships an update every 2 months, Journal every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Text Diary | Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-diary-journal-notebook/id1620144716/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FugaPiyo Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497887610) | [Olufemi Adedire](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701746573) |

## What reviewers say

### Text Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/text-diary-journal-notebook/id1620144716)

A free and simple text-based journaling app that allows unlimited entries. Organize your thoughts with folders, colors, and tags, and easily search or filter your past entries. Enjoy a comfortable user experience with quick startup and dark mode.

**Highlights:** Unlimited daily diary entries, Organize by folder, color, tag, Searchable diary entries, Filter by date or tag, Quick startup and comfortable operation, Dark mode support, Completely free to use

**In-app purchases:** none


### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996)

Securely record your thoughts, secrets, and private moments with this digital journal. Protect your entries with a password, Touch ID, or Face ID, and enrich them with photos and videos. Easily organize and search your memories.

**Highlights:** Password, Touch ID, Face ID lock, Add text, photos, and videos, Tagging for entries, Searchable diary, Export entries, iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly: Journal Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| 3-Monthly: Journal Pro Quarter | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| 6-Monthly:Journal Pro 6 months | $3.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly: Journal Pro Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Journal Pro Lifetime Access | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Text Diary free?

Text Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Journal free?

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

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

Journal is rated higher. Text Diary averages 4.5 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Journal averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Text Diary or Journal have ads?

Text Diary shows ads; Journal does not.

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

Text Diary ships an update every 2 months, and Journal every 4 months. Most recently, Text Diary was updated on October 1, 2026 and Journal on October 5, 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.*