Comparison

Grid Diary Classic vs Simple Diary

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Grid Diary Classic

This journaling app offers a unique grid-based format with prompts to overcome writer's block. It allows for photo attachments, full-text search, and health data integration. Advanced features like passcode lock and cloud sync are available through a subscription or one-time purchase.

Highlights
  • Unique grid format for journaling
  • Prompt library for writing inspiration
  • Photo attachment to entries
  • Full text search functionality
  • Backup and restore options
  • HealthKit integration for steps and calories
Read full description

NOTICE: A new generation of Grid Diary has been released, and this version will stop updating on Dec 31, 2019. Please visit https://diary-help.sumi.io/migrate-from-classic/ to learn more. ====== Featured by Apple in New & Noteworthy and What’s Hot! "Grid Diary is a new way to look at journaling." - AppAdvice "It’s a well-designed, good-looking and intuitive app with a clear purpose." - InsideMobileApps Watch Grid Diary in action: http://vimeo.com/sumisumi/grid-diary-3 Did you ever try to keep a diary but never succeeded? Or did you have writer's block problem? Grid Diary is here for you. Grid Diary is introducing a unique way of writing a diary. In Grid Diary, diary entry is made up of a number of "Grids", which is as simple as a question, prompt, or etc. It is like a pre-defined template for the diary. Thinking and writing in this way is more effective, and it feels more natural and fluid. You still have total freedom in the amount of the grid and the text you want to fill in a grid. We started with a simple and clear purpose, and have always kept minimal design in mind. Through carefully crafted gestures, Grid Diary enhanced user experience in many ways. === FEATURES === • Unique grid format • Prompt library for writing inspirations • Photo attachment • Reading mode • Full text search-able • Backup and restore • Cloud input • Record daily number of steps and calorie consumption(via HealthKit) === PRO FEATURES === • Passcode lock • Sync (iCloud Drive / Dropbox / WebDAV) • Export in various formats • Multiple reminders • Customizable font styles • Night mode • Export to Evernote / Dropbox • Text formatting tools Pro is available in two pricing models: 1. $9.99 for one time purchase 2. $2.49 monthly subscription Please note that price may vary by location. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account. Your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You will not be able to cancel the subscription once activated. Manage your subscriptions in Account Settings after purchase. ---- Having any problems? Any suggestions? We would love to hear from you! You can reach us at support at: • Website http://griddiaryapp.com • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GridDiary • Twitter https://twitter.com/GridDiary ---- Privacy Policy: https://griddiaryapp.com/support/privacy Terms of Service: https://griddiaryapp.com/support/terms

About

Simple Diary

This app provides a simple and convenient way to journal your thoughts and experiences. It allows you to add images, secure your entries with a passcode, and customize the app's appearance. Data backup and search functions ensure your memories are safe and easily accessible.

Highlights
  • Insert images into entries
  • Secure passcode lock (Face ID/Touch ID)
  • Customizable theme colors and app icon
  • Data backup to iTunes/PC and cloud services
  • Tag-based search for entries
  • Adjustable text font size and color
  • Daily reminder notifications
Features
Read full description

Simple Diary is a simple, easy-to-use free diary app where you can save photos along with your entries. Use it for daily journaling, baby milestones, travel memories, a record of your pet's growth, or a secret diary just for you. Clean, simple screens help you keep going, even if diaries never stuck before. No account registration. Download it and start writing. Your diary stays on your device, and the app works offline. [Features] ■ Add Photos to Entries (Up to 10 per Entry) Like a blog, insert images between paragraphs. Attach photos from your camera roll. ■ Secure Passcode Lock Protect your diary with a passcode. Supports Face ID and Touch ID for quick, secure access. ■ 22 Font Styles Change the look of your diary with 22 font styles, from cute to classic serif. (Some fonts are premium.) ■ Theme Colors and App Icons Choose from 19 theme colors, from cute to cool. You can also change the app icon. (Requires the latest iOS version.) ■ Data Export Export your diary as PDF, HTML, RTFD, or TXT files (premium service). Open them on a computer to reread your diary on a bigger screen, or print entries on paper. ■ Turn an Entry into an Image or PDF Save an entry as one image or a PDF to post to social media, send to family, or print. ■ Data Backup Back up your data to iCloud or your computer. RTFD export (premium service) lets you move your entries to your notes app or cloud storage. ■ iCloud Backup Back up your diary to iCloud and restore it on another device (premium service). It is a manual backup, not automatic sync: back up on your iPhone, then restore on your iPad. ■ Calendar and List Views Look back at your diary on a calendar or as a list. Tap a date to reread that day. ■ Tag Search Use the built-in search to find entries quickly. Write a tag such as "#travel" in the text, and searching for it brings up just those entries. ■ Font Settings Adjust text size, contrast, and line spacing. Great if you prefer larger text. ■ Reminders Set a reminder time and get a push notification, so you don't forget to write. ■ Multiple Entries Per Day Write one entry per day, or add several for memos, work records, or passing thoughts. Change an entry's date and time to write about past days. There is no limit on entry length. [Pricing] The core diary features are all free: entries, photos, passcode lock, search, and reminders. The free version shows ads. The premium service removes all ads and unlocks iCloud backup, data export, all theme colors, and all font styles. Premium is available as a monthly plan, a yearly plan, or a one-time purchase, all with the same features, and covers both your iPhone and iPad under the same Apple Account. [Your Data] Your diary is stored on your device and is not synced to the cloud automatically. To protect your data, use the premium iCloud backup or Apple's iPhone backup. There is no feature to publish your diary or share it with other users. To show someone an entry, turn it into an image and send it. A backup moves your data to a new iPhone. Data transfer to or from other operating systems is not supported. [Perfect For] ■ Students A secret diary for your day, your feelings, and your crushes. Writing out what you can't post online helps you feel lighter. ■ Parents Record your pregnancy and your baby's growth as a photo diary. Write several entries a day, and share special pages with family as images. ■ Anyone Who Wants to Keep a Record Travel journals, reading and movie notes, food diaries, dream journals, daily work logs, or your pet's growth. Simple Diary fits whatever you want to remember, one day at a time. [Help, Feedback] For help, go to "Help / FAQ" in the app settings. Still have questions? Tap "Feedback" on the settings screen to contact us for faster support. Terms of Use: https://komorebi-studio.com/tos_en.html Privacy Policy: https://komorebi-studio.com/policyredirect.html

Screenshots

Grid Diary Classic4 screens
Simple Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Grid Diary Classic at none against Simple Diary's shown. Grid Diary Classic also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). Simple Diary's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Grid Diary Classic sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Simple Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simple Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 774 and 908 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Grid Diary Classic's written reviews are positive against 78% of Simple Diary's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Grid Diary Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, Simple Diary every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Grid Diary Classic versus Simple Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrid Diary ClassicSimple Diary
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (774 ratings)4.8 (908 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.6% of reviews78.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings774908 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB206 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSumi InteractiveKomorebi Inc.

Customer experience

Grid Diary Classic

All ratings773 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral4.5%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews1,152 reviews
Positive76.6%
Neutral6.3%
Negative17.1%

Simple Diary

All ratings908 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral2.8%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews415 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral9.9%
Negative11.8%

User reviews

Grid Diary Classic

From 774 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 📝 Helps with daily reflection and journaling
  • 🎨 Clean and minimalist design
  • 🔍 Customizable prompts and templates
  • 🌐 Syncs across devices

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Paid version required for password protection
  • 🖼️ Limited photo storage in free version
  • 🌐 Sync issues for some users
  • 💰 Concerns over transition to subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs

Simple Diary

From 908 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 📷 Ability to add photos
  • 🔒 Password protection
  • 🗓️ Organized by calendar view
  • 🔍 Effective search functionality

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
  • 📁 Limited photo upload capacity
  • 💰 Paywall for some features
  • 🔄 Inconvenient manual backup/restore process
  • 🎨 Limited font and theme options in free version

Bugs and requests

Grid Diary Classic

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Upgrade issues and failed purchases
  • Entries disappearing or being deleted
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions

Requested features

5 requests
  • More font and color customization options
  • Integration with calendar and other apps
  • Ability to export/backup journal entries
  • More emotion/mood options
  • Desktop/web version

Simple Diary

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Some characters not displaying properly
  • Calendar dates not always accurate
  • Deleted entries not recoverable

Requested features

5 requests
  • Automatic iCloud/Google Drive sync
  • More font and theme customization options
  • Video recording and embedding
  • Ability to add tags or categories to entries
  • One-tap access to previous day's entry

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Grid Diary Classic

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Subscription$2.491 Month
One-time1
  • Upgrade to Pro$9.99
3 purchases

Simple Diary

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • Premium (Annual)7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Service (Lifetime)$69.99

Questions

Is Grid Diary Classic free?
Grid Diary Classic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Diary free?
Simple Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Grid Diary Classic or Simple Diary?
Simple Diary is rated higher. Grid Diary Classic averages 4.4 out of 5 from 774 ratings, while Simple Diary averages 4.8 from 908 ratings.
Do Grid Diary Classic or Simple Diary have ads?
Simple Diary shows ads; Grid Diary Classic does not.
Which is updated more often, Grid Diary Classic or Simple Diary?
Grid Diary Classic ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simple Diary every 2 months. Most recently, Grid Diary Classic was updated on October 29, 2026 and Simple Diary on October 29, 2026.

Other comparisons