# Secret Diary vs Diary Journal with Lock

The clearest difference is rating: Secret Diary at 4.7 against Diary Journal with Lock's 3.3. Secret Diary also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary Journal with Lock sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Secret Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Secret Diary holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secret Diary has 98 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Secret Diary | Diary Journal with Lock |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (98 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-diary-with-lock/id6468484543/reviews)** | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-with-lock/id6748128912/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **98** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 66 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Trang Le Thi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1531252314) | [Yash Baraiya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701081026) |

## What reviewers say

### Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-diary-with-lock/id6468484543)

Securely record your thoughts, daily events, and journeys with this private diary app. It offers robust security features like Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode lock, and allows for extensive personalization with themes, fonts, and backgrounds. All entries are stored locally for maximum privacy.

**Highlights:** Face ID, Touch ID, passcode lock, iCloud backup and restore, Unlimited editing options, Add photos, backgrounds, fonts, Personalize with artistic themes, Local data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and friendly design
- 🔒 Secure with passcode/lock
- ✍️ Allows dictation and writing feelings
- ✨ No in-app purchases
- 🎨 Customizable fonts, sizes, and backgrounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Background theme selection issues
- 🐛 Lock screen appears after entries
- 🐛 App crashes in airplane mode
- 🐛 Difficulty remembering/recovering passcode
- 🐛 Passcode not always visible/functional

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot get back to previous background themes
- Lock screen appears after entries are visible
- App crashes when phone is on airplane mode
- Difficulty entering or recovering passcode
- Passcode not visible or functional at times

**Requested features**

- Allow autocorrect while typing
- Ensure lock screen appears first
- Recover passcode when forgotten
- Add backup feature
- Enable Face ID/Touch ID for login


### 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 Secret Diary free?

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

### Is Diary Journal with Lock free?

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

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

Secret Diary is rated higher. Secret Diary averages 4.7 out of 5 from 98 ratings, while Diary Journal with Lock averages 3.3 from 4 ratings.

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

Diary Journal with Lock shows ads; Secret Diary does not.

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

Secret Diary ships an update every 2 weeks, and Diary Journal with Lock every 2 weeks. Most recently, Secret Diary was updated on November 3, 2026 and Diary Journal with Lock on October 30, 2026.

---

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