# First diary, Theme Diary vs Nib Journal

The clearest difference is ads: Nib Journal at none against First diary, Theme Diary's shown. Nib Journal also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. First diary, Theme Diary sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 2 months and Nib Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

First diary, Theme Diary ships an update every 3 weeks, Nib Journal every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First diary, Theme Diary | Nib Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 33 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [G-SOFT](https://appshunter.io/developer/368394644) | [mami hara](https://appshunter.io/developer/6792413290) |

## What reviewers say

### First diary, Theme Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-diary-theme-diary/id6483616889)

This app helps you journal your daily experiences with themes, emotions, and media. Record events with photos, videos, and location, and organize them privately. Premium features offer unlimited entries and media.

**Highlights:** Themed event recording, Emotion and level tracking, Add photos and videos, Location information, Secret themes and events, Passcode and biometric protection, iCloud sync

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Show weather | $0.99 | per 2 months |
| Hide ads | $0.99 | per month |
| Number of images | $1.99 | one-time |
| Character limit | $1.99 | one-time |
| Show weather | $3.99 | one-time |
| Hide ads (Unlimited) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Unlock passcode | $19.99 | one-time |


### Nib Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nib-journal-bullet-journal/id6797519747)

A private digital notebook designed to capture daily thoughts and observations, offering a paper-like journaling experience. It includes features for daily entries, monthly summaries, habit tracking, and gratitude logging, with an optional one-time purchase for advanced widgets and iCloud backup.

**Highlights:** Daily journal entries, One Line a Day feature, Habit tracker, Gratitude log, Monthly highlights, Life balance radar, Optional iCloud backup

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First diary, Theme Diary free?

First diary, Theme Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Nib Journal free?

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

### Do First diary, Theme Diary or Nib Journal have ads?

First diary, Theme Diary shows ads; Nib Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, First diary, Theme Diary or Nib Journal?

First diary, Theme Diary ships an update every 3 weeks, and Nib Journal every 10 days. Most recently, First diary, Theme Diary was updated on November 4, 2026 and Nib Journal on October 31, 2026.

---

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