Comparison

My Map Diary vs Local Notes

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

Head to head
About

My Map Diary

Features
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My Map Diary: Your Journey, Your Story. Capture your life's journey with My Map Diary, the ultimate app for location-based memories. Whether you're traveling the world or exploring your hometown, this app lets you document every step with photos, titles, and descriptions—all organized on an interactive map. Why You'll Love My Map Diary: - Interactive Map: Pin your favorite moments to specific locations and revisit them anytime. - Capture Memories: Snap photos directly within the app, complete with easy camera controls. - Detailed Journaling: Add personalized titles and descriptions to bring your memories to life. - Real-Time Tracking: Know exactly where you are with a live blue-dot tracker. - Widget Support: Add a Lock Screen or Home Screen widget for instant access! Whether you're creating a travel diary or simply mapping everyday moments, My Map Diary makes it easy and fun to turn your adventures into cherished memories. Download now and start your map diary today!

About

Local Notes

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Ever find yourself trying to remember the name of that one specific taco place, or the exact spot where a hiking trail got confusing? Most of us keep these mental notes, but they are easy to lose. Local Notes: Map Your Memories is your private, map-based journal for every place you want to remember. This is not a social network or a public review site. It is a space for your eyes only. Pin personal ratings, photos, and reminders to real-world locations. Whether it is a favorite coffee shop, a hidden park bench, or a hotel from your last vacation, Local Notes keeps those details organized and searchable on a map. Capture your world with ease: - Quick Pins: Long-press anywhere on the map to drop a pin, or use "Note at Current Location" to save a memory exactly where you are standing. - Post-it Style Markers: Customize your map with 10 themed color palettes (like Miami, Rio, or Bora Bora) to keep your notes visually organized. - Private Content: Write up to 10,000 characters per note, attach photos, and set star ratings without worrying about a public feed. - Specialized Templates: Use structured fields for Restaurants (cuisine, price, meal type), Hikes (difficulty, distance, trail type), Hotels, and more. Your data stays private and secure. Local Notes uses on-device encryption with keys stored in your secure keychain. Start in Guest Mode to keep everything stored locally, or sign in to sync your notes across devices via the cloud. Core Features: - Search and pin places using Google Maps integration. - Four note types: Experience, Tip, Plan, and Warning. - View notes in split, full map, list, or masonry grid modes. - Home screen widgets for nearby notes or single-note pinning. - Export your data as PDF or CSV. - Full accessibility support for VoiceOver. Subscription Tiers: - Free: $0. Includes up to 25 notes, 1 nearby alert, cloud backups, and offline support (contains ads). - Plus: $4.99 (one-time payment). Everything in Free plus zero ads, up to 100 notes, 3 collections, 3 nearby alerts, photos, smart search, and basic stats. - Pro: $1.99/mo or $19.99/year. Unlocks everything including unlimited notes and collections, travel mode, shared collections, smart templates, PDF exports, and full web app access. Stop relying on your memory and start mapping your world. Download Local Notes today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

My Map Diary4 screens
Local Notes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: My Map Diary at none against Local Notes's 3. My Map Diary also leads on ads (none vs shown). Local Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, 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. Local Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. My Map Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

My Map Diary ships an update every 11 months, Local Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
My Map Diary versus Local Notes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMy Map DiaryLocal Notes
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJerico VillarazaNicholas Saulino

In-app purchases

None

My Map Diary

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Local Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Local Notes Pro (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • Local Notes Pro (Yearly)$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Local Notes Plus$4.99

Questions

Is My Map Diary free?
My Map Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Local Notes free?
Local Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do My Map Diary or Local Notes have ads?
Local Notes shows ads; My Map Diary does not.
Which is updated more often, My Map Diary or Local Notes?
My Map Diary ships an update every 11 months, and Local Notes every 3 weeks. Most recently, My Map Diary was updated on October 9, 2026 and Local Notes on October 7, 2026.

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