# Strides vs Simple Journaling

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Strides at 19K against Simple Journaling's 1. Strides also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (4 vs 2). Simple Journaling's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Strides sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Simple Journaling sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Simple Journaling holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Strides has 19K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Strides ships an update every 2 weeks, Simple Journaling every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Strides | Simple Journaling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strides-habit-tracker-plus-goals/id672401817/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-journaling/id6760980806/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 81.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 147 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Goals LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/507975203) | [Jayden Dirksen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886739587) |

## What reviewers say

### Strides

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strides-habit-tracker-plus-goals/id672401817)

This app helps you organize your habits, routines, and goals in a single to-do list. Track progress with reminders and charts, and choose from over 150 templates or create your own. Get organized and build your perfect routine.

**Highlights:** Habit and goal tracking, Customizable trackers, 150+ templates, Progress reports and charts, Reminders, Daily checklist

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Strides Plus | $4.99 | per month |
| Strides Plus | $7.99 | per month |
| Strides Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Strides Plus | $29.99 | per year |
| Strides Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Strides Plus | $39.99 | per year |
| Strides Plus | $39.99 | one-time |
| Strides Plus | $99.99 | one-time |
| Strides Plus | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Flexible and customizable
- 📊 Detailed progress tracking
- 🔄 Helpful for building habits
- 🎯 Effective for achieving goals
- 🤖 Seamless integration with Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🔒 Limited free version features
- 🐛 Syncing and notification issues
- 🕰️ Lack of time-tracking capabilities
- 🗂️ Difficulty organizing multiple habits

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes after iOS 14.8 update
- Incorrect data logging and display issues
- Notification bugs showing outdated information

**Requested features**

- Allow more than 3 habits in free version
- Add time tracking and time-based goals
- Improve syncing and notification reliability
- Introduce more customization and organization options
- Provide a one-time purchase option instead of subscription


### Simple Journaling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-journaling/id6760980806)

This app offers a clean, distraction-free space for daily reflection and gratitude tracking. It helps users understand themselves better by visualizing emotional patterns and providing insights into writing habits. Features include mood tracking, search, and weekly goals.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free journaling, Daily gratitude tracking, Mood tracking and trend visualization, Journal search with mood filters, Weekly goals and streak tracking, Insights and analytics dashboard, AI-powered reflection prompts (Premium)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Strides free?

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

### Is Simple Journaling free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Strides or Simple Journaling?

Simple Journaling is rated higher. Strides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Simple Journaling averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Strides or Simple Journaling have ads?

Neither Strides nor Simple Journaling shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Strides or Simple Journaling?

Strides ships an update every 2 weeks, and Simple Journaling every 2 months. Most recently, Strides was updated on October 24, 2026 and Simple Journaling on October 7, 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.*