Comparison

Pure Diary vs Diary

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Pure Diary

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Pure is a simple photo diary: give today a title, add one photo, and write. Your entries stay on your iPhone. No account, no sign-up, no feeds. WRITE • A clean page with a title, the date and time, and room to write as much as you like • A short writing prompt on the home screen when you don't know where to start • Every new entry starts with a cover picture. Keep it, swap it for your own photo, or remove it PHOTOS • Pick a photo from your library and crop it freely • 11 built-in filters: Vivid, Mono, Sepia, Retro, Tonal, Chrome, Noir, Fade, Cool, Warm and Soft Blur • Your original photo is kept, so you can change the filter later LOOK BACK • Entries are grouped by month, newest first • Detailed view shows photo cards; Concise view shows titles only • Search titles and text to find an old day in seconds • Open any entry to edit it, or delete the ones you don't need PRIVATE BY DESIGN Your diary and photos are saved on this device only. Pure has no account system and does not upload your entries to any server. Because everything is stored locally, deleting the app also deletes your diary. Pure is supported by ads. Terms of Use (Apple standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Diary

A private journaling app designed for reflection and personal growth. It offers a peaceful space to record daily thoughts, set simple goals, and reflect without pressure. A gentle cat companion is present throughout your journaling experience.

Highlights
  • Private journaling
  • Goal setting
  • Daily reflection
  • Cat companion
  • No pressure or streaks
  • Ad-free experience
Features
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Diary – Hope Tree A quiet place to write, reflect, and grow — with a gentle cat by your side. Diary – Hope Tree is a simple, private growth diary for everyday life. There’s no pressure to be productive, positive, or consistent. Just a calm space to show up as you are. Write a few words about your day. Note a small step toward something you care about — even if it’s for tomorrow. Reflect honestly, even when things feel hard. Nothing more is required. A gentle way to grow Diary — write what happened today, even the ordinary things Hope — keep a simple goal you’re growing toward Reflection — a few honest words are enough Action — note a small step, past or future Tool - to support the hope No streaks. No scores. No pressure to “do better”. A quiet companion Your cat doesn’t guide, judge, or demand anything. It simply stays with you — day by day — as you write and grow at your own pace. Private by design Private — your entries are yours No ads Nothing is shared This is your personal space. Always. For people who... Want to keep a diary without feeling guilty Prefer honesty over positivity Need a calm place during busy or difficult times Care about privacy and simplicity If you want a quiet place to exist, reflect, and grow — Hope Tree is here. It is a space for reflection, intention-setting, and gentle daily practices. Private by design Your entries are yours No ads No subscription required Nothing is shared Your diary stays personal, simple, and calm.

Screenshots

Pure Diary3 screens
Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Diary at none against Pure Diary's shown. Diary also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. Pure Diary sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pure Diary ships an update every 9 days, Diary fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Pure Diary versus Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPure DiaryDiary
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB71 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYIZE LIAOKam Hung Cheung

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pure Diary

Subscriptions2
  • Professional user/month$0.991 Month
  • Professional user/year$7.991 Year
1 purchases

Diary

One-time1
  • Hope Tree Companion Plus Lifetime$3.99

Questions

Is Pure Diary free?
Pure Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Diary free?
Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pure Diary or Diary have ads?
Pure Diary shows ads; Diary does not.
Which is updated more often, Pure Diary or Diary?
Pure Diary ships an update every 9 days, and Diary fortnightly. Most recently, Pure Diary was updated on October 25, 2026 and Diary on October 28, 2026.

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