Comparison

Diary Journal vs DayNote

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

Head to head
About

Diary Journal

Features
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Welcome to Zendiary, your personal reflection diary that transforms journaling into a journey of self-discovery and growth. With Zendiary, effortlessly record your thoughts, emotions, and daily experiences. Our app offers a unique blend of features: • Daily Entries & Mood Logging: Easily document your day with text and photos. Track your mood and see your emotional journey unfold. • Mood Analysis & Trends*: Understand your emotions better with our mood tracking and analysis features. • Achievements & Milestones*: Stay motivated with rewards for your writing consistency and milestones. • Personalized AI Insights*: Get mid-weekly and weekly summaries generated by AI, offering deep insights into your entries. Zendiary isn't just an app; it's a companion in your journey towards better mental wellness and self-awareness. It's a safe space where your thoughts are securely stored. Whether you're looking to understand your emotional patterns, improve your mental health, or just keep a record of your life, Zendiary is here for you. Join our community of reflective journalers and start your journey of self-discovery today. Your story is important, and Zendiary helps you tell it. Download now and see the transformation in your journaling experience! ---- * PLEASE READ: A Zendiary Pro subscription is required in order to access all journaling features. Once purchased, subscriptions will automatically renew unless cancelled before the end of the current payment period. Subscriptions can be managed or cancelled in your Apple App Store account. The free version supports unlimited entries and mood logging, but does not include access to photos, mood analysis, achievements, AI insights and future pro features. Privacy Policy: https://fivesheep.co/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

DayNote

Features
Read full description

The journal that listens – and keeps it to itself. DayNote combines a beautiful, private journal with Apple Intelligence. The AI runs entirely on your iPhone: no cloud, no account, no ads. Your thoughts stay yours. CAPTURED IN SECONDS • Log your mood with one tap – in the app, the widget or with Siri • Write without a character limit, with a daily writing prompt • Voice notes that turn into text • Moments from your iPhone: places, photos, workouts and music as suggestions • Photos, tags and places for every entry A JOURNAL THAT UNDERSTANDS YOU • AI Reflection: fitting titles, tags and a thoughtful response • AI Weekly Recap: what made your week • What Lifts You: which topics raise your mood – and which don't • Your Year in Color: every day a pixel • Mood trends, weekday patterns and "On this day" from past years DEEPLY INTEGRATED • Apple Health: your mood as State of Mind • Siri, Shortcuts, Action button and Control Center • Widgets for Home Screen and Lock Screen • iCloud sync across all your devices PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Face ID lock • On-device AI – nothing leaves your iPhone • No ads, no tracking • Export to Markdown anytime – your words belong to you FREE Unlimited writing, mood logging, search, writing prompts, widgets, Siri, Apple Health, Your Year in Color and export. DAYNOTE PRO AI Reflection and Weekly Recap, What Lifts You and all insights, photos, voice notes, tags, Face ID lock, plus fonts and paper styles. Try it free for 1 week, then monthly or save with the yearly plan. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. AI features require an iPhone with Apple Intelligence. Privacy Policy: https://daynote.advema.de/datenschutz.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Diary Journal4 screens
DayNote4 screens

Verdict

The call

Diary Journal and DayNote are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Diary Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and DayNote sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Diary Journal ships an update every 2 months, DayNote every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Diary Journal versus DayNote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiary JournalDayNote
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFiveSheep OUADVEMA

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Diary Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Pro (Monthly)7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Pro (Annually)1 Month trial$14.991 Year
2 purchases

DayNote

Subscriptions2
  • DayNote Pro – Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • DayNote Pro – Yearly7 Days trial$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Diary Journal free?
Diary Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DayNote free?
DayNote is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Diary Journal or DayNote have ads?
Neither Diary Journal nor DayNote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Diary Journal or DayNote?
Diary Journal ships an update every 2 months, and DayNote every 6 weeks. Most recently, Diary Journal was updated on October 27, 2026 and DayNote on October 28, 2026.

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