# Real Diary Lite vs Diary with lock

The clearest difference is ads: Diary with lock at none against Real Diary Lite's shown. Diary with lock also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 3) and rating (4.3 vs 4.0). Real Diary Lite's advantage is review sentiment (82% vs 66%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Real Diary Lite sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Diary with lock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary with lock holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Diary with lock has 1.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 82% of Real Diary Lite's written reviews are positive against 66% of Diary with lock's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Real Diary Lite ships an update every 2 months, Diary with lock every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Real Diary Lite | Diary with lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-diary-lite/id513789149/reviews) | **[4.3 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock/id1347511716/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **81.8% of reviews** | 65.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Owl Family Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/510310880) | [Tuyen Bui](https://appshunter.io/developer/1000285801) |

## What reviewers say

### Real Diary Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-diary-lite/id513789149)

A user-friendly digital journal for managing schedules, notes, and moods. Customize your entries with themes, stickers, and pictures. Share updates to social media and track your emotions with mood charts.

**Highlights:** Customizable themes and stickers, Password protection with time settings, Mood charting and analysis, Social media uploads (Twitter, Facebook), Event scheduling and reminders, Data backup and restore

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to paid version | $2.99 | one-time |


### Diary with lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-lock/id1347511716)

Create a secure personal journal to record daily events, thoughts, and secrets. Protect your entries with a password or PIN code and customize the look with different colors and fonts. This app offers a simple, fast, and user-friendly way to document your life.

**Highlights:** Password & PIN code protection, Customizable background colors, Changeable font styles, Easy-to-use interface, Searchable entries, Unlimited entries, Multi-language support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud Sync Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Donate to Developer | $5.99 | one-time |
| Diary with lock-No Advertising | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- ✨ Customizable fonts and colors
- 📝 Easy to write entries
- 💻 Convenient digital diary

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Too many ads interrupting writing
- 🐛 Crashes and glitches when trying to write
- 💾 No backup or data recovery options
- 🔍 Partial visibility of entries even when locked

**Reported bugs**

- Entries randomly disappearing
- Constant redirects to ads when trying to write
- Login/password reset not working properly

**Requested features**

- Backup and sync entries across devices
- Fingerprint/Face ID support for locking
- Ability to change font size and color
- Option to disable ads for paid users


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Real Diary Lite free?

Real Diary Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Diary with lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Real Diary Lite or Diary with lock?

Diary with lock is rated higher. Real Diary Lite averages 4.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Diary with lock averages 4.3 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do Real Diary Lite or Diary with lock have ads?

Real Diary Lite shows ads; Diary with lock does not.

### Which is updated more often, Real Diary Lite or Diary with lock?

Real Diary Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Diary with lock every 6 weeks. Most recently, Real Diary Lite was updated on October 7, 2026 and Diary with lock 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.*