# Circlem vs Truly Private Journaling

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Circlem at none against Truly Private Journaling's 2. Circlem also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Truly Private Journaling's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Truly Private Journaling sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Circlem asks for nothing beyond the download.

Circlem ships an update every 2 days, Truly Private Journaling weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Circlem | Truly Private Journaling |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/truly-private-journaling/id6752568465/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **7** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 60 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Philipp Lohmar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1786389347) | [Mario Iannotta](https://appshunter.io/developer/478614329) |

## What reviewers say

### Circlem

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circlem/id6739635242)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Truly Private Journaling

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/truly-private-journaling/id6752568465)

This private journal app uses on-device AI to help you capture thoughts, process emotions, and discover patterns without accounts or cloud syncing. Your entries and insights remain entirely on your iPhone, offering a secure and distraction-free space for self-reflection and growth.

**Highlights:** On-device AI prompts and insights, Private, offline journaling, Customizable themes and typography, Fast entry capture, Search and browse entries locally, No account creation or cloud syncing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Truly Pro: Lifetime access | $19.99 | one-time |
| Truly Pro: Lifetime access | $39.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Circlem free?

Circlem is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Truly Private Journaling free?

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

### Do Circlem or Truly Private Journaling have ads?

Neither Circlem nor Truly Private Journaling shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Circlem or Truly Private Journaling?

Circlem ships an update every 2 days, and Truly Private Journaling weekly. Most recently, Circlem was updated on October 25, 2026 and Truly Private Journaling on October 24, 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.*