# Notebook vs My Journal

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | My Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [4.6 (229 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-journal-cute-notes/id1597252938/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 229 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **90.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 42 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Hangzhou Shunchang Asset Management Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1232519088) |

## 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


### My Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-journal-cute-notes/id1597252938)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

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


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