# Notebook vs Cute Journal

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Cute Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [4.6 (133 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-journal-private-diary/id1602190978/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 133 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | **88.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [俊镇 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1116584225) |

## 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


### Cute Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cute-journal-private-diary/id1602190978)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $4.49 | per month |
| Quarterly Plus | $9.49 | per 3 months |
| Half a year Plus | $12.49 | per 6 months |


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