Comparison

Diary Journal vs TimeCapsule

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

Head to head
About

Diary Journal

Features
Read full description

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: โ€ข Daily Entries & Mood Logging: Easily document your day with text and photos. Track your mood and see your emotional journey unfold. โ€ข Mood Analysis & Trends*: Understand your emotions better with our mood tracking and analysis features. โ€ข Achievements & Milestones*: Stay motivated with rewards for your writing consistency and milestones. โ€ข 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

TimeCapsule

Features
Read full description

TimeCapsule lets you write a message to your future self or someone you care about, then lock it until a date you choose. The message stays hidden until the unlock date arrives โ€” then a notification lets you know it's ready to open. Features: - Create capsules with a title, message, and unlock date - Attach photos, videos, and audio files (Full Access) - Locked capsule list shows days remaining until unlock - Local notification when the unlock date arrives - Unlock animation when you open a capsule - Manage multiple capsules with filters (locked / unlocked / all) - Lock the app with Face ID or Touch ID - Countdown widget for the days left until unlock - Export and import password-encrypted backups Great for: - Writing yourself a note to read at graduation or on a birthday - Leaving a future promise for a partner or friend - Setting a New Year's resolution to revisit at year's end Your capsule contents stay on your device. FREE VERSION AND FULL ACCESS The free version displays banner ads. A one-time Full Access purchase unlocks every feature and removes ads. Customers who previously bought the paid app also continue without ads. The free version holds up to 5 unopened capsules at a time and sends the unlock notification at 9:00. Full Access removes the capsule limit and adds photo, video, and audio attachments, a custom notification time, and a choice of opening styles. Privacy Policy: https://smallappworks.com/timecapsule/privacy/ Support: https://smallappworks.com/timecapsule/support/

Screenshots

Diary Journal4 screens
TimeCapsule4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Diary Journal at none against TimeCapsule's shown. TimeCapsule's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Diary Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and TimeCapsule sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Diary Journal ships an update every 2 months, TimeCapsule weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Diary Journal versus TimeCapsule: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDiary JournalTimeCapsule
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly โ€” better
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad โ€” better
Requires iOS17.016.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size15 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFiveSheep OUTakumi Sekiguchi

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Diary Journal

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

TimeCapsule

One-time1
  • Full Access$1.99

Questions

Is Diary Journal free?
Diary Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is TimeCapsule free?
TimeCapsule is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Diary Journal or TimeCapsule have ads?
TimeCapsule shows ads; Diary Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, Diary Journal or TimeCapsule?
Diary Journal ships an update every 2 months, and TimeCapsule weekly. Most recently, Diary Journal was updated on October 27, 2026 and TimeCapsule on October 31, 2026.

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