# Notebook vs Nice journal

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Nice journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [4.5 (122 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nice-journal-diary-journal/id1598243217/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 122 |
| Positive reviews | **72.5% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [风云 余](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570564655) |

## 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


### Nice journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nice-journal-diary-journal/id1598243217)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $3.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Version | $8.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 months Version | $14.99 | per 6 months |


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