# Moment Diary (journal) vs Diary! SmartDiary

The clearest difference is rating: Diary! SmartDiary at 4.6 against Moment Diary (journal)'s 3.5. Diary! SmartDiary also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and review sentiment (93% vs 73%). Moment Diary (journal)'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Moment Diary (journal) sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Diary! SmartDiary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary! SmartDiary holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 60 and 45 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Moment Diary (journal)'s written reviews are positive against 93% of Diary! SmartDiary's.

Moment Diary (journal) ships an update every 3 weeks, Diary! SmartDiary every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Moment Diary (journal) | Diary! SmartDiary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moment-diary-journal/id352263913/reviews) | **[4.6 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-smartdiary/id1381186388/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 45 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | **93.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 10 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tomonari Sonoda](https://appshunter.io/developer/286755134) | [Hideki Okuno](https://appshunter.io/developer/1234067922) |

## What reviewers say

### Moment Diary (journal)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/moment-diary-journal/id352263913)

This private diary app allows you to record your thoughts and experiences through text, voice memos, videos, and photos, all automatically timestamped. It offers robust backup, restore, and export options, along with security features like passcode lock and the ability to sync with other devices.

**Highlights:** Timestamped entries, Text, voice, video, and photo support, Export notes and pictures, Backup and restore functionality, Passcode lock, Data sync with other devices

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud Storage (monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Leopard | $1.99 | one-time |
| Zebra Stripe | $1.99 | one-time |
| +10 Stickers | $1.99 | one-time |
| +10 Stickers 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Stickers Expression | $1.99 | one-time |
| Stickers Lifestyle2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Polka Dots | $2.99 | one-time |
| Polka Dots Navy Blue | $2.99 | one-time |
| Polka Dots Pink | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 📷 Ability to add photos and videos
- 🗓️ Helpful calendar and search features
- 💻 Sync between devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and sync issues after updates
- 📤 Unreliable backup and export options
- 🔍 Limited search and filtering capabilities
- 🎨 Lack of customization options
- 💬 Restrictive character limit per entry

**Reported bugs**

- Entries disappearing or getting corrupted
- Password reset and recovery not working
- Syncing issues between iPhone and iPad
- Calendar and date-related bugs after updates

**Requested features**

- Cloud backup and sync options
- More customization for themes, fonts, and layouts
- Improved search and filtering tools
- Ability to add reminders and set recurring entries
- Export options for PDF or other formats


### Diary! SmartDiary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-smartdiary/id1381186388)

Record daily life with photos and track your mood and schedule on a calendar. Secure your entries with a passcode and easily access past memories. Customize your diary with various settings for a personalized experience.

**Highlights:** Record memories with photos, Track daily mood and schedule, Passcode lock with biometric support, iCloud backup and data migration, Customizable calendar and diary settings, Input forgetting notifications

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Moment Diary (journal) free?

Moment Diary (journal) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Diary! SmartDiary free?

Diary! SmartDiary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Moment Diary (journal) or Diary! SmartDiary?

Diary! SmartDiary is rated higher. Moment Diary (journal) averages 3.5 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Diary! SmartDiary averages 4.6 from 45 ratings.

### Do Moment Diary (journal) or Diary! SmartDiary have ads?

Diary! SmartDiary shows ads; Moment Diary (journal) does not.

### Which is updated more often, Moment Diary (journal) or Diary! SmartDiary?

Moment Diary (journal) ships an update every 3 weeks, and Diary! SmartDiary every 3 months. Most recently, Moment Diary (journal) was updated on November 1, 2026 and Diary! SmartDiary on November 2, 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.*