# MDA vs Chat Journal

The clearest difference is update cadence: MDA at every 3 weeks against Chat Journal's every 2 months. MDA also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MDA sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Chat Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

MDA ships an update every 3 weeks, Chat Journal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MDA | Chat Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Size | 39 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tulio Calazans](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506825273) | [Mamiko Tsukamoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837855636) |

## What reviewers say

### MDA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mda-my-diary/id6458223086)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PRO Pack | $4.99 | one-time |


### Chat Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chat-journal-daily-notes/id6757944003)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (One-Time Purchase) | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MDA free?

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

### Is Chat Journal free?

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

### Do MDA or Chat Journal have ads?

Neither MDA nor Chat Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MDA or Chat Journal?

MDA ships an update every 3 weeks, and Chat Journal every 2 months. Most recently, MDA was updated on October 11, 2026 and Chat Journal on October 25, 2026.

---

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