Comparison

Diary vs Secret Diary

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

Head to head
About

Diary

Features
Read full description

Simple and convenient application that will record the best moments for you Privacy Policy: https://thuyetngocluong.github.io/policy_privacy/DiaryApp.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

About

Secret Diary

Features
Read full description

Secret Diary is the diary only you can open. Write a few honest lines, add a photo, pick a mood, and keep it all behind Face ID. Free to download. Your journal is free; Premium unlocks extra tools. FREE, WITH NO ENTRY LIMIT - Unlimited daily entries with text, a photo, mood, place and weather - Face ID, Touch ID or passcode lock, with entries hidden in the app switcher - Calendar, timeline, search and favorites - A daily writing prompt and a gentle daily reminder - On This Day, streaks, achievements, basic stats and your year in pixels - Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy widgets that never show your words - Apple Watch app: log a mood or dictate a quick note, and it's added to that day's entry on your iPhone - Siri and Shortcuts: add an entry, log a mood or check your streak - Password-protected backups (AES-256) that restore on any device PREMIUM, WHEN YOU WANT MORE - Decoy Mode: open to a working calculator, notes or weather screen; only your secret code reveals the diary - Private iCloud sync between your iPhone and iPad - Voice notes, transcribed on your device where supported - Dream journal with symbols and tags - Time capsules: letters to your future self, sealed until the day you choose - Mood insights, trends and Year Wrapped - Seven more themes, two more journal fonts and alternate app icons - The full prompt library and entry templates - A printable PDF photo book of your entries and photos If Premium ends, nothing you made is taken away. You keep writing for free, voice notes, dreams and time capsules stay readable and are included in backups, Decoy Mode keeps protecting your diary until you turn it off, and premium themes switch back to the free look. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No account, no sign-up, no email address - No ads, no analytics SDKs and no tracking - Your journal stays on your device, or in your own private iCloud if you turn on sync - Photos are saved without location data - The developer runs no server and can't read what you write PREMIUM PRICING Premium is optional. Premium Monthly is $2.99 a month and Premium Yearly is $19.99 a year, each with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Premium Lifetime is a one-time purchase of $49.99. Prices are in US dollars and vary by region. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase, or when a free trial ends. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://secretdiary.duttlabs.app/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://secretdiary.duttlabs.app/privacy.html Support & FAQ: https://secretdiary.duttlabs.app/support.html Questions or ideas? Email shankarduttsgd@gmail.com. Every message is read by the developer.

Screenshots

Diary4 screens
Secret Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Diary at every 2 days against Secret Diary's every 4 months. Diary also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Diary sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Secret Diary sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Diary ships an update every 2 days, Secret Diary every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Diary versus Secret Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiarySecret Diary
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 days โ€” betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch โ€” better
Requires iOS14.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size52 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThuyet LuongShankar Dutt

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Diary

Subscriptions1
  • 1 week subscription3 Days trial$1.997 Days
One-time1
  • Lifetime$19.99
3 purchases

Secret Diary

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Diary free?
Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Secret Diary free?
Secret Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Diary or Secret Diary have ads?
Neither Diary nor Secret Diary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Diary or Secret Diary?
Diary ships an update every 2 days, and Secret Diary every 4 months. Most recently, Diary was updated on October 30, 2026 and Secret Diary on October 31, 2026.

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