# Shadow vs Journai

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Journai at 100% against Shadow's 64%. Journai also leads on ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Shadow's advantage is ratings volume (113 vs 1). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shadow sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Journai sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Journai holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shadow has 113 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Shadow's written reviews are positive against 100% of Journai's.

Shadow ships an update every 2 months, Journai every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow | Journai |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (113 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-block-apps-and-focus/id1671650132/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journai-mindset-microjournal/id6757966979/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **113** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 63.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 124 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Adish Padhani](https://appshunter.io/developer/992727409) | [Prashanthie Velmurugan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869456275) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-block-apps-and-focus/id1671650132)

This app helps you block distracting applications on your iOS device to improve focus and productivity. It offers a "Safe Zone" for uninterrupted work and robust parental controls to manage children's screen time. Your settings are protected with Face ID and passcode.

**Highlights:** Block distracting iOS applications, Create a "Safe Zone" for focused work, Parental controls for screen time management, Face ID and passcode protection, Develop good habits

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Subscription Trial | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription Trial | $3.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription Discount | $6.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription Discount | $9.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription Discount | $17.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $34.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription With Trial | $34.99 | per year |


### Journai

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journai-mindset-microjournal/id6757966979)

This app offers a straightforward journaling experience with a clean design. It provides pre-set prompts for quick entries and aims to offer AI-powered insights in the future.

**Highlights:** Clean interface, Preset prompted entries, Microjournaling, AI-powered insights (future), Simple journaling

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Journai - Pro membership | $1.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow free?

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

### Is Journai free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shadow or Journai?

Journai is rated higher. Shadow averages 4.7 out of 5 from 113 ratings, while Journai averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Shadow or Journai have ads?

Shadow shows ads; Journai does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow or Journai?

Shadow ships an update every 2 months, and Journai every 11 days. Most recently, Shadow was updated on October 21, 2026 and Journai 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.*