# Journal vs BBrain

The clearest difference is rating: Journal at 4.6 against BBrain's 3.0. Journal also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 50%) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 27). BBrain's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and BBrain sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journal has 1.5K ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Journal's written reviews are positive against 50% of BBrain's.

Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, BBrain every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal | BBrain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608/reviews)** | [3.0 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbrain/id6448963886/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | **89.7% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) | [Herogram](https://appshunter.io/developer/1650043116) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608)

This app allows users to create a personal diary with a variety of cute stickers and backgrounds. It offers automatic saving of drafts, password protection for privacy, and the ability to insert photos. The app is also optimized for iPad use.

**Highlights:** Customizable stickers and backgrounds, Automatic draft saving, Password protection for privacy, iPad support with Apple Pencil, Photo insertion for diary entries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus Version | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and aesthetic design
- 📚 Helpful for journaling and planning
- 🎨 Customizable backgrounds and stickers
- 👍 Easy to use and organize
- 🥰 Fun and enjoyable experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free features, many paid options
- 🔑 Issues with login/access
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 📝 Limited font/formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to reopen saved pages
- Stickers not displaying properly in some cases
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Add more free stickers and customization options
- Improve syncing and backup functionality
- Allow creating custom backgrounds and stickers
- Introduce a dark mode option


### BBrain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbrain/id6448963886)

This AI-powered chatbot assists with writing, learning, and creative tasks. It can generate stories, translate languages, provide information on any topic, offer recipes, and even help with coding and math problems. It acts as a versatile conversational companion for brainstorming and skill development.

**Highlights:** AI-powered writing assistant, Language translation and practice, Information retrieval on any topic, Creative content generation (stories, poems, lyrics), Personalized recommendations, Brainstorming and problem-solving, Skill development resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ai Voice weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly Plan 1 Month Free Trial | $9.99 | per year |
| product 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Product 2 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Get 1000 Coins Monthly | $4.99 | one-time |
| Product 3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Product 4 | $29.99 | one-time |
| Ask Brain2 Lifetime Pro | $49.99 | one-time |
| Product 5 | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal free?

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

### Is BBrain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Journal or BBrain?

Journal is rated higher. Journal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while BBrain averages 3.0 from 27 ratings.

### Do Journal or BBrain have ads?

Journal shows ads; BBrain does not.

### Which is updated more often, Journal or BBrain?

Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and BBrain every 3 days. Most recently, Journal was updated on October 17, 2026 and BBrain on October 7, 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.*