Comparison

Notebook vs Journal the Word

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

Journal the Word

This app provides a digital space for users to engage with scripture through journaling. It offers built-in reading plans and a scripture lookup tool to facilitate reflection and prayer.

Highlights
  • Digital scripture journaling
  • Built-in reading plans
  • Scripture lookup tool
  • Track reading progress
  • Reflect and pray digitally
Features
Read full description

Journal the Word exists because journaling helps us engage Scripture more deeply. Writing clarifies thought, slows the heart, and creates space to hear from God as we meditate on His Word. For those who may never reach for a paper journal or who want to keep their reflections digitally, this app offers a simple, focused place to do just that. Open your Bible. Open the app. Read. Reflect. Pray. Close it. Live it. Built-In Reading Plans Stay consistent in your time in Scripture with several built-in plans: • F260 (Foundations 260) • 5x5 New Testament • Whole Bible Reading Plan and More! Track your progress and easily journal directly from your daily reading. Scripture Lookup Quickly pull Scripture passages into your journal entries using the built-in Bible lookup tool. Multiple verses can be added to your reflection as you study.

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Journal the Word4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Journal the Word at none against Notebook's 1. Journal the Word also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (14K vs 1) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price 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. Journal the Word asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Journal the Word holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notebook ships an update weekly, Journal the Word monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Notebook versus Journal the Word: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookJournal the Word
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings14K — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoJonah Elijah Chitty

Customer experience

Notebook

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

Journal the Word

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Journal the Word

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
None

Journal the Word

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Journal the Word free?
Journal the Word is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Journal the Word?
Journal the Word is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Journal the Word averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Notebook or Journal the Word have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Journal the Word does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Journal the Word?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Journal the Word monthly. Most recently, Notebook was updated on November 4, 2026 and Journal the Word on October 30, 2026.

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