# Journal vs Diary Journal with Lock

The clearest difference is rating: Journal at 5.0 against Diary Journal with Lock's 3.3. Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Diary Journal with Lock's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Diary Journal with Lock sells 3 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, 5.0 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 4 respectively.

Journal ships an update every 4 months, Diary Journal with Lock every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Journal | Diary Journal with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996/reviews)** | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id6748128912/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **4** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Olufemi Adedire](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701746573) | [Yash Baraiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701081026) |

## What reviewers say

### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-with-password/id6468249996)

Securely record your thoughts, secrets, and private moments with this digital journal. Protect your entries with a password, Touch ID, or Face ID, and enrich them with photos and videos. Easily organize and search your memories.

**Highlights:** Password, Touch ID, Face ID lock, Add text, photos, and videos, Tagging for entries, Searchable diary, Export entries, iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly: Journal Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| 3-Monthly: Journal Pro Quarter | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| 6-Monthly:Journal Pro 6 months | $3.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly: Journal Pro Annual | $4.99 | per year |
| Journal Pro Lifetime Access | $5.99 | one-time |


### Diary Journal with Lock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id6748128912)

Capture your thoughts, track your mood, and build a journaling habit in a secure, customizable space. This app offers guided prompts, mood insights, and expressive tools to help you reflect and grow.

**Highlights:** Daily journal and notes, Private diary lock (PIN, pattern, fingerprint), Customizable themes, colors, and fonts, Mood tracker with insightful charts, Smart templates for guided writing, Diary streaks and habit tracking, Auto backup and sync

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Subscription | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Subscription | $14.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Journal free?

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

### Is Diary Journal with Lock free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Journal or Diary Journal with Lock?

Journal is rated higher. Journal averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Diary Journal with Lock averages 3.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Journal or Diary Journal with Lock have ads?

Diary Journal with Lock shows ads; Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Journal or Diary Journal with Lock?

Journal ships an update every 4 months, and Diary Journal with Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Journal was updated on October 22, 2026 and Diary Journal with Lock on October 30, 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.*