Comparison

Empath vs Rune Journal

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

Head to head
About

Empath

This app helps you untangle your thoughts and gain clarity by providing a secure space for journaling. It offers AI-driven insights, integrates with health data, and maps emotions using feeling and intensity dimensions. It can also serve as a companion for therapy sessions.

Highlights
  • Secure AI-powered insights
  • Health data integration
  • Mood mapping (feeling & intensity)
  • Therapist companion feature
  • Private and secure journaling
  • Thought untangling and clarity
Read full description

Empath: Untangle Your Thoughts, Transform Chaos Into Clarity Empath is a private, AI-powered journal and mood tracker. Whatever is swirling in your head, speak it, type it, or message it. Empath helps you untangle it, see the patterns, and find clarity. Journal Without Opening an App: Too busy to type? Call Empath and talk it out, or message us on WhatsApp from anywhere in the world. Your words come back as organized journal entries, titled and analyzed, with your mood mapped automatically. Meaningful Insights: Discover the hidden threads running through your emotions. Empath's secure AI provides insights that help you understand your inner world, without judgment. Don't risk writing about your mental health on other AI chatbots. Empath ensures your data is never used by AI companies to train their models. Health Integration: See the full picture. Connect your health data (sleep, exercise, wellness) and understand how it all impacts your state of mind. It's about knowing yourself, from the inside out. Mood Mapping: Emotions are complex, and they can't be neatly put into categories like emojis or simple labels. With Empath, we use two key dimensions, feeling and intensity, to understand your emotional landscape. This helps you see how you truly respond to life, beyond just picking an emoji. Therapist Companion: If you go to therapy, Empath can carry over your benefits and give your therapist superpowers. Keep your progress flowing seamlessly between therapy sessions. Empath bridges the gap, giving your therapist a complete picture of your journey. Why Empath? Empath is for those ready to face themselves, for those who know that growth doesn't come from comfort. Real change starts when you articulate your thoughts, unfiltered and unafraid. Say what you need to say, challenge your excuses, and grow. Empath gives you the tools, but the courage is yours. Ready to Transform Your Reality? The world isn't determined to stay how it is. Your words give it shape. If you want to understand yourself, if you're ready to break through your own nonsense, start today. Whether you're soaring or struggling, Empath is here for every part of your journey. Empath: Explore. Understand. Grow. Download Empath now and start transforming your reality. **Terms of Use (EULA):** [EULA](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/) **Privacy Policy:** [Read Our Privacy Policy](https://www.termsfeed.com/live/153f184d-16c7-4aa9-a4e9-64fdb8dd2145)

About

Rune Journal

This private AI journal helps you understand your days, moods, and patterns through freeform writing, AI insights, and guided reflection. Track entries with tags and search, and secure your thoughts with device-level protection. Premium features offer photo memories and deeper analysis.

Highlights
  • AI-powered insights and prompts
  • Distraction-free writing space
  • Mood and pattern tracking
  • Passcode and biometric security
  • Journal chat assistant
  • Photo memories (Premium)
Read full description

Rune is a private AI journal that helps you understand your days, moods, and patterns more clearly. Write freely, then use thoughtful prompts, AI insights, and journal chat to reflect on what your entries are really telling you. Start free with no account required. WHY RUNE • Start journaling instantly with no sign-up • Write in a clean, distraction-free space • Reflect with AI prompts, mood insights, and journal chat • Track your entries with calendar history, tags, and search • Keep your journal protected with passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID REFLECT ON YOUR WRITING Rune helps you notice patterns that are easy to miss in the moment: • How your moods change over time • Themes that keep showing up • Emotional trends across weeks and months • Connections between entries, habits, and life events • Questions that help you go deeper AI JOURNAL ASSISTANT Ask questions about your journal and get grounded reflections based on what you have written. Explore recurring thoughts, process difficult days, or get a gentle prompt when you are not sure what to write next. PHOTO MEMORIES Premium members can add photos and screenshots to journal days, turning each entry into a richer memory of what happened, where you were, and how the day felt. RUNE PREMIUM Upgrade when you want more room to reflect: • Higher AI usage limits • Weekly Reflection Briefs • Photo Memories for journal entries • Deeper pattern and theme analysis • More journal chat and guided reflection tools • Expanded mood trends and visualizations • More personalized prompts and categories PRIVACY & SECURITY Your journal entries are stored on your device. Rune includes passcode, Face ID, and Touch ID protection. When you use AI features, relevant content is securely processed to provide prompts, insights, and responses. Rune combines the habit of journaling with thoughtful AI tools for reflection, emotional awareness, and personal growth.

Screenshots

Empath4 screens
Rune Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Empath at every 4 days against Rune Journal's monthly. Empath also leads on ratings volume (6 vs 2). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Empath sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Rune Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Empath against 5.0 for Rune Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Empath ships an update every 4 days, Rune Journal monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Empath versus Rune Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmpathRune Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS1817.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size84 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDiv KhareFaz Azad

Customer experience

Empath

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Rune Journal

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Empath

Subscriptions4
  • Empath Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Empath Plus Yearly$29.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium Annual$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Rune Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Empath free?
Empath is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Rune Journal free?
Rune Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Empath or Rune Journal?
Empath and Rune Journal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Empath or Rune Journal have ads?
Neither Empath nor Rune Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Empath or Rune Journal?
Empath ships an update every 4 days, and Rune Journal monthly. Most recently, Empath was updated on October 24, 2026 and Rune Journal on October 21, 2026.

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