# Trace Life vs Journal App

The clearest difference is rating: Trace Life at 5.0 against Journal App's 3.0. Trace Life also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). Journal App's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Trace Life sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Journal App sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Trace Life holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 2 respectively.

Trace Life ships an update every 5 days, Journal App daily. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace Life | Journal App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-life/id6572304301/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-app-diary-with-lock/id6751311443/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 33 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [永强 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629439485) | [Mohamed Abdelmagid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1794241343) |

## What reviewers say

### Trace Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-life/id6572304301)

A secure and user-friendly diary and note-taking app. It offers a visual timeline, photo integration, customizable tags, and cloud storage for your memories. Enjoy full privacy control and seamless iCloud backup.

**Highlights:** Secure encrypted transmission, Cloud storage, Visual timeline, Photo integration, Customizable tags, iCloud integration, Privacy controls

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $3.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Plus | $19.99 | one-time |


### Journal App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-app-diary-with-lock/id6751311443)

This app offers a secure space for daily self-reflection and gratitude journaling. It uses daily prompts to encourage consistent reflection, helping users track their growth and patterns over time. Features include a passcode lock, calendar view, streaks, and widgets for easy access.

**Highlights:** Passcode journal lock, Daily reflective prompts, 30-day answer review, Calendar journaling tracker, Streak tracking for motivation, Home screen widgets, Gratitude entry option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| weekly plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| lifetime plan | $14.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Plan | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace Life free?

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

### Is Journal App free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Trace Life or Journal App?

Trace Life is rated higher. Trace Life averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Journal App averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Trace Life or Journal App have ads?

Neither Trace Life nor Journal App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trace Life or Journal App?

Trace Life ships an update every 5 days, and Journal App daily. Most recently, Trace Life was updated on November 4, 2026 and Journal App 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.*
