Comparison

Notebook vs Cute 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

Cute Journal

Create a personalized digital journal with customizable backgrounds and materials. Secure your entries with a lock and enjoy ample space for all your thoughts. Offers various national and minimalist styles.

Highlights
  • Customizable backgrounds and materials
  • Book-like cover customization
  • Variety of national and minimalist styles
  • Large writing capacity
  • Secure and private entries
  • Lock feature for privacy
Features
Read full description

Cute journal is a lovely national style diary application. If you also like to keep a rich diary, don't miss it. [App Features] * Simple production, choose favorite background, choose favorite material, you can write a unique hand ledger of your own; * Book-like cover, you can customize your own pocket book cover, like opening a book every time; * Various styles of material, national style, lovely, minimalist, there is always your favorite material; * Large capacity, can write a lot of books oh; * Safe and private, you can set them to yourself and keep them in a safe place. 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://zhenwusw.github.io/posts/junzhen/fuwu Privacy policy: https://zhenwusw.github.io/posts/junzhen/privacy

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Cute Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Notebook at 14K against Cute Journal's 133. Notebook also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). Cute Journal's advantage is review sentiment (88% 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 Cute Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Notebook against 4.6 for Cute Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 133, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 88% of Cute Journal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Cute Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notebook versus Cute Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookCute Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.6 (133 ratings)
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews88.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14K — better133
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
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 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji Ito俊镇 吴

Customer experience

Notebook

All ratings14,324 ratings
Positive94.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative2.8%
Written reviews276 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral12.3%
Negative15.2%

Cute Journal

All ratings110 ratings
Positive90.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative5.5%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive88.1%
Neutral4.8%
Negative7.1%

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

Cute Journal

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
3 purchases

Cute Journal

Subscriptions3
  • Plus Version3 Days trial$4.491 Month
  • Quarterly Plus3 Days trial$9.493 Months
  • Half a year Plus3 Days trial$12.496 Months

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cute Journal free?
Cute Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Cute Journal?
Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Cute Journal averages 4.6 from 133 ratings.
Do Notebook or Cute Journal have ads?
Both Notebook and Cute Journal show ads.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Cute Journal?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Cute Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notebook was updated on November 7, 2026 and Cute Journal on November 3, 2026.

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