# Mini journal vs Buddy Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mini journal at none against Buddy Journal's 3. Mini journal also leads on ratings volume (158 vs 17). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Buddy Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Mini journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Mini journal against 4.8 for Buddy Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mini journal has 158 ratings behind it against 17, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of Mini journal's written reviews are positive against 100% of Buddy Journal's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mini journal | Buddy Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (158 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-journal-cute-diary/id6476841474/reviews) | **[4.8 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-journal-cute-diary/id6502621629/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **158** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 94.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [新群 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701840990) | [瑞媚 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/1731046721) |

## What reviewers say

### Mini journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-journal-cute-diary/id6476841474)

This app offers a cute and simple way to journal your thoughts and memories. Customize your entries with a variety of stickers and backgrounds, and even create your own unique designs. Share your creations easily with friends and enjoy a seamless journaling experience on any device.

**Highlights:** Cute stickers and backgrounds, Concise and fast editing, DIY sticker creation, One-click sharing, iPad large screen support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ So fun and enjoyable
- 💖 Very cute and aesthetic
- 🎨 Great for creativity and imagination
- 📚 Useful for journaling and note-taking
- 🎁 Lots of free stickers and content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Some features require payment
- 🐛 Glitching and annoying issues
- 🖱️ Stressful to move stickers
- ⚠️ Some stickers can't be used
- 🚫 Pop-ups when clicking unusable stickers

**Reported bugs**

- Notebooks deleted
- Kept glitching out
- Doesn't automatically save
- Cannot purchase VIP

**Requested features**

- Add more stickers
- Add a free lock or password to the journal
- Make password protection free, not pro
- Add more free sticker options
- Improve sticker package availability without payment


### Buddy Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buddy-journal-cute-diary/id6502621629)

This app provides a user-friendly space to record daily thoughts, moods, and memories. It offers extensive customization options with backgrounds and stickers to personalize your entries and is accessible on mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Intuitive interface for easy journaling, Personalized backgrounds and stickers, Add text and images to entries, Record daily moods and memories, Mobile convenience for on-the-go use, iPad compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus Quarterly | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro version | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mini journal free?

Mini journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Buddy Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mini journal or Buddy Journal?

Buddy Journal is rated higher. Mini journal averages 4.7 out of 5 from 158 ratings, while Buddy Journal averages 4.8 from 17 ratings.

### Do Mini journal or Buddy Journal have ads?

Both Mini journal and Buddy Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mini journal or Buddy Journal?

Mini journal ships an update every 2 months, and Buddy Journal every 2 months. Most recently, Mini journal was updated on October 27, 2026 and Buddy Journal on October 24, 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.*