# Notebook vs Basic Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Notebook at 4.7 against Basic Journal's 3.3. Notebook also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 40%) and ratings volume (14K vs 4). Basic Journal's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Basic Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 40% of Basic Journal's.

Notebook ships an update weekly, Basic Journal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Basic Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [3.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 40.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [James Hudson](https://appshunter.io/developer/599997663) |

## What reviewers say

### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301)

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

**Highlights:** Realistic page-turning effect, One page per day organization, iCloud sync and backup, Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID, Dark mode and font adjustment, Ad-free Premium option

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Convenient for journaling and note-taking
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Organized by date

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🚫 Unable to insert photos or attachments
- 🚫 Limited formatting options
- 🚫 No cloud sync or backup
- 🚫 Not compatible with iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Deleting entries causes the app to crash
- Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
- Password feature doesn't always work as expected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to insert photos and attachments
- Implement cloud sync and backup
- Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
- Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
- Add a search function to easily find past entries


### Basic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-journal/id1139438456)

A fast and simple journal app designed for busy individuals to quickly jot down notes on daily activities. It offers an elegant, chronological display of entries with easy editing and export options.

**Highlights:** Quick note-taking, Chronological note display, Summary and detail views, Edit and delete notes easily, Recently edited notes highlighted, iCloud syncing, Text export option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

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

### Is Basic Journal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or Basic Journal?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Basic Journal averages 3.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do Notebook or Basic Journal have ads?

Both Notebook and Basic Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or Basic Journal?

Notebook ships an update weekly, and Basic Journal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 18, 2026 and Basic Journal on October 7, 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.*