# My Notes vs General Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: General Journal at every 5 days against My Notes's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. My Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and General Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

My Notes ships an update every 2 weeks, General Journal every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on June 4, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | My Notes | General Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-notes-draft-notes/id1624664967/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **13** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 55 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [文龙 林](https://appshunter.io/developer/1622961779) | [Zhegang Xu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1710880748) |

## What reviewers say

### My Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-notes-draft-notes/id1624664967)

This app allows for freeform handwritten note-taking and drawing on an infinite canvas. It supports file imports and graphic diary creation with image integration, serving as a digital tool for learning and organization.

**Highlights:** Infinite canvas for notes and drawing, Handwritten note-taking, Graphic diary creation with images, File import and annotation, Apple Pencil support, Paperless learning tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly VIP | $1.99 | per month |
| Quarter VIP | $4.49 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $4.99 | one-time |


### General Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/general-journal/id6771730545)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| General Journal Basic | $1.99 | per month |
| General Journal Premium | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is My Notes free?

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

### Is General Journal free?

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

### Do My Notes or General Journal have ads?

Both My Notes and General Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, My Notes or General Journal?

My Notes ships an update every 2 weeks, and General Journal every 5 days. Most recently, My Notes was updated on June 4, 2026 and General Journal on September 25, 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.*