Comparison

Notebook vs Nice 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

Nice journal

This app helps users create beautiful and private journals with a variety of customization options. Add stickers, backgrounds, and photos to record memories and aspirations. Password protection ensures your entries remain secure.

Highlights
  • Customizable stickers and backgrounds
  • Password-protected private space
  • Apple Pencil support for iPad
  • Photo insertion for visual journaling
  • Goal and dream recording
Features
Read full description

Nice journal is a girl's Journaling app. It has a lot of stickers, background pictures and fonts to help you easily record your wonderful life. Making a journal is a sense of ritual. As a safe and private girl's diary, you can write down your goals and dreams here. [Material] A lot of cute sticker materials and fresh backgrounds make diarys fun. [Privacy] Password protects your private space, and you can write it with confidence. [apple pencil] Adapt to ipad, support editing your handbook through apple pencil. [Photos] Insert photos in your journal and record your life with pictures. Nice journal understands that she still has a lot of room for improvement, and also looks forward to your feedback. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us~ Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless you cancel at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. The renewal fee will be charged to your account within 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. If you do not cancel the subscription during the trial period, the unused trial period will be automatically forfeited after the subscription is purchased. After completing your purchase, you can manage and cancel your subscription by going to your App Store Account Settings. Terms of Service: https://oldercn.github.io/posts/yufengyun/fuwu Privacy Policy: https://oldercn.github.io/posts/yufengyun/privacy

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Nice journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Notebook at weekly against Nice journal's every 2 months. Notebook also leads on ratings volume (14K vs 122) and rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Nice journal's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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 Nice journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 122, 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 60% of Nice journal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Nice journal every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Notebook versus Nice journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookNice journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.5 (122 ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews — better60.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14K — better122
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 2 months
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 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji Ito风云 余

Customer experience

Notebook

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

Nice journal

All ratings106 ratings
Positive86.8%
Neutral5.7%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive60.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative40.0%

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

Nice journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
3 purchases

Nice journal

Subscriptions3
  • Plus Version3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Quarterly Version3 Days trial$8.993 Months
  • 6 months Version3 Days trial$14.996 Months

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nice journal free?
Nice journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Nice journal?
Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Nice journal averages 4.5 from 122 ratings.
Do Notebook or Nice journal have ads?
Both Notebook and Nice journal show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Nice journal?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Nice journal every 2 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on November 1, 2026 and Nice journal on October 24, 2026.

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