Comparison

Notebook vs Shadow Work Journal & Diary

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

Shadow Work Journal & Diary

Explore your hidden self and begin healing with guided reflection. Track emotions, uncover insights, and integrate repressed feelings through daily journaling and exercises. This app helps you gain self-awareness and self-acceptance.

Highlights
  • Daily journaling with prompts
  • Shadow mapping for patterns
  • Emotional mood tracking
  • Guided self-awareness exercises
  • Inner child and persona prompts
Features
Read full description

Unlock your subconscious and begin healing with Shadow Work Journal. the easiest way to explore your hidden self, track emotions, and uncover insights through guided reflection. Key Features Daily Journaling – Write freely or use prompts designed for shadow work. Shadow Map – Track patterns, triggers, and hidden aspects of yourself. Emotional Tracking – Log moods with ratings & visual indicators. Guided Exercises – Persona, inner child, and projection prompts to deepen self-awareness. Why Shadow Work? Shadow work helps you integrate repressed emotions, hidden patterns, and unconscious behaviors. By journaling, you gain awareness, healing, and self-acceptance. Subscription Details: • Title: Savory All Access • Length: 1 year • Price: $39.99 per year and $7.99 per month (auto-renews) • Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ • Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1b2FQZ_HK2I_6ZBJhiaJw_Vii5aKW9D4dYjGfP9C8efU/edit?usp=sharing

Screenshots

Notebook4 screens
Shadow Work Journal & Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Work Journal & Diary at none against Notebook's 1. Shadow Work Journal & Diary also leads on ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Notebook's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 1). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement 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. Shadow Work Journal & Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Shadow Work Journal & Diary 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, Shadow Work Journal & Diary every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Notebook versus Shadow Work Journal & Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotebookShadow Work Journal & Diary
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (14K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews72.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings14K — better1
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKoji ItoFenuku Kekeli

Customer experience

Notebook

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

Shadow Work Journal & Diary

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

Shadow Work Journal & Diary

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Notebook

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$6.99
None

Shadow Work Journal & Diary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Notebook free?
Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Work Journal & Diary free?
Shadow Work Journal & Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Notebook or Shadow Work Journal & Diary?
Shadow Work Journal & Diary is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Shadow Work Journal & Diary averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Notebook or Shadow Work Journal & Diary have ads?
Notebook shows ads; Shadow Work Journal & Diary does not.
Which is updated more often, Notebook or Shadow Work Journal & Diary?
Notebook ships an update weekly, and Shadow Work Journal & Diary every 5 months. Most recently, Notebook was updated on October 30, 2026 and Shadow Work Journal & Diary on October 6, 2026.

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