# Journal vs Dairo

Journal and Dairo both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 90% of Journal's written reviews are positive against 0% of Dairo's. Journal also leads on ratings volume (1.8K vs 12). Dairo's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Dairo asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Journal against 4.7 for Dairo. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journal has 1.8K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Journal's written reviews are positive against 0% of Dairo's.

Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, Dairo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal | Dairo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608/reviews) | **[4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dairo-mood-tracker-diary/id6745472222/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.8K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **89.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 45 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) | [Thanh Nguyen Duy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1812395746) |

## 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


### Dairo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dairo-mood-tracker-diary/id6745472222)

This app provides a private space for daily journaling, mood tracking, and memory preservation. It helps users understand their emotional patterns, reflect on their experiences, and foster self-awareness through intuitive tools and gentle reminders.

**Highlights:** Daily mood and thought journaling, Mood trend tracking with charts, Bookmark and tag special moments, Relive memories with daily entries, Page-turning album format for browsing, Password protection for privacy, Cloud backup and manual exports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal free?

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

### Is Dairo free?

Dairo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Dairo is rated higher. Journal averages 4.6 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Dairo averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do Journal or Dairo have ads?

Journal shows ads; Dairo does not.

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

Journal ships an update every 6 weeks, and Dairo every 2 months. Most recently, Journal was updated on October 20, 2026 and Dairo on October 16, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*