# Notebook vs Journal the Word

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.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Journal the Word asks for nothing beyond the download.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | Journal the Word |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-the-word/id6742472002/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 25 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Jonah Elijah Chitty](https://appshunter.io/developer/1798606150) |

## 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


### Journal the Word

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-the-word/id6742472002)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


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