Comparison

Notebook vs My Journal

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

Head to head
About

Notebook

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
Read full description

Keep daily notes and diary entries together on one page. Turn pages like a book and revisit your past entries. Search, iCloud sync, and a passcode lock help you organize and access your notes. Core features are free; ad removal is a one-time purchase. ■ Your day on one page See the notes and diary entries you write each day together on one page. Swipe or tap to turn pages and look back on everyday moments and memories. ■ Find past entries Use the contents list or search to find a note you want to revisit. Change a note's date to record plans or past events. ■ Make reading and writing comfortable Adjust the text size or use Dark Mode. Copy, print, or share your notes. ■ Protect access with a passcode Lock access to your diary with a passcode. Face ID / Touch ID is available on supported devices. ■ Sync between devices with iCloud With iCloud sync enabled, notes synchronize automatically between devices using the same Apple Account. iCloud sync is enabled by default for new installations. iCloud Drive and Notebook's iCloud access must be enabled, with available storage and a network connection. Synchronization may take time. iCloud sync and device backups are separate features. Check your sync status and backups before changing devices. ■ Recover deleted notes Recover notes within 30 days of deletion from Recently Deleted in Settings. ■ Remove ads with a one-time purchase Core features are free. Premium removes ads with a one-time purchase, not a subscription. After changing devices, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used for your purchase. Over 2 million downloads worldwide. Rated 4.7 out of 5 from over 21,000 ratings across all countries and regions (October 2026). Capture your everyday moments, one page at a time.

About

My Journal

This app offers a digital journaling experience with customizable notebook covers and a wide array of decorative stickers and writing papers. It provides a secure way to record your thoughts and memories with password protection and unlimited storage. The app encourages daily reflection for personal growth and well-being.

Highlights
  • Simulation notebook with various covers
  • Security password protection
  • Rich collection of stickers and writing paper
  • Unlimited storage capacity
  • Simple drag-and-drop interface
  • Habit tracking for daily reflection
Features
Read full description

What's special about her? ** Simulation notebook: a variety of covers, make a hand ledger so that you feel as if you are using a real notebook; ** Security password: set their own exclusive password, when you don't want to share who also can't see; ** Rich materials: whether stickers, writing paper, are xiaobian carefully prepared for you; ** Large capacity: Don't worry, no matter how much you write, you can always save, unlimited; ** Simple and easy to use: just click, drag, rotate to complete the production, easy to use; ** Habit: as long as you record your happiness and sorrow every day, magical things will happen; What she can bring to you · Growth memoir: every day growth has its own unique content, as long as the record, is beautification; · Share with yourself, you will find yourself so lovely; · Mysterious power: really magical oh, you can also make a wish oh, it is said that many little lovely wish has come true; · Always love: No matter in life, in study, in love, we all experience different moments. As long as we record them, You'll find that life's surprises are always there. This subscription will be automatically renewed through your iTunes account, with the renewal fee deducted from your plan within 24 hours prior to the end of the current subscription period. You can manage or cancel automatic renewal at the Account Settings office at least 24 hours before the current subscription period ends. If your trial does not end, the remaining days will automatically expire after you start your subscription. To open a subscription, you agree to the following terms: The terms of service: https://linkq002.github.io/posts/shunchang/fuwu Privacy policy: https://linkq002.github.io/posts/shunchang/privacy

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
My Journal3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notebook at 14K against My Journal's 229. Notebook also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly). My Journal's advantage is review sentiment (91% vs 72%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and My Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 229, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 91% of My Journal's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, My Journal monthly. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notebook versus My Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookMy Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.6 (229 ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews90.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14K — better229
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoHangzhou Shunchang Asset Management Inc.

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings14,321 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative15.2%

My Journal

All ratings198 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral4.5%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive90.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.1%

Bugs and requests

Notebook

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

My Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
3 purchases

My Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Plus Version3 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Quarterly Plus3 Days trial$6.993 Months
One-time1
  • Pro Version$9.99

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is My Journal free?
My Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or My Journal?
Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while My Journal averages 4.6 from 229 ratings.
Do Notebook or My Journal have ads?
Both Notebook and My Journal show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or My Journal?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and My Journal monthly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 30, 2026 and My Journal on October 30, 2026.

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