# Notebook vs memono Journal

The clearest difference is ads: memono Journal at none against Notebook's shown. memono Journal also leads on review sentiment (85% vs 73%) and device support (4 vs 1). Notebook's advantage is update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (14K vs 299). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and memono Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 3 months. 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 memono Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 299, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Notebook's written reviews are positive against 85% of memono Journal's.

Notebook ships an update every 9 days, memono Journal every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notebook | memono Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** | [4.6 (299 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memono-journal/id906470619/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 299 |
| Positive reviews | 72.7% of reviews | **85.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 10 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) | [Dennis Ebbinghaus](https://appshunter.io/developer/858934149) |

## 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


### memono Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/memono-journal/id906470619)

Create rich multimedia journal entries with text, photos, audio, and location data. Organize notes with color categories, set reminders, and share them easily. Secure your entries with a lock and fingerprint access.

**Highlights:** Multimedia notes (text, photos, audio), Location tagging, Color-coded organization, Reminders and notifications, Secure lock with Touch ID, iCloud synchronization, Note sharing

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 months | $0.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $2.99 | per year |
| One-time purchase | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 📷 Ability to add photos
- 🎵 Voice recording support
- 📍 Location tracking

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Ads are too frequent
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/searching notes
- 🔤 Small font size
- 📁 Limited organization options

**Reported bugs**

- Photos disappearing after saving
- Syncing issues between devices
- Crashes and freezes on certain devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to change font size and style
- Option to add multiple photos per note
- Folder/category organization
- Improved search and sorting functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notebook free?

Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is memono Journal free?

memono Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Notebook or memono Journal?

Notebook is rated higher. Notebook averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while memono Journal averages 4.6 from 299 ratings.

### Do Notebook or memono Journal have ads?

Notebook shows ads; memono Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Notebook or memono Journal?

Notebook ships an update every 9 days, and memono Journal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Notebook was updated on September 24, 2026 and memono Journal on September 20, 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.*