Comparison

Lightmark vs Simple Diary

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

Head to head
About

Lightmark

This app encourages honest self-reflection by allowing users to record thoughts, emotions, and memories without the ability to edit entries after submission. It supports text, voice, photos, and videos, offering a multi-sensory journaling experience. A unique visual timeline helps users see their journey over time.

Highlights
  • Uneditable entries
  • Text, voice, photo, and video recording
  • Tag system for organization
  • Annual 'Lightmap' visualization
  • Daily timeline archive
  • Minimalist interface
Features
Read full description

Some diaries are written just for yourself. Some moments are meant to be recorded as they truly are. No need for perfection, no need to revise. Writing who you are at that moment is an honest act of existence. Lightmark is a diary app that does not allow editing after writing. It blends a sense of time with emotional expression, gently guiding you to meet yourself. 【 Philosophy · Faithful to the Present 】 Lightmark’s writing approach is inspired by the psychological concepts of “non-judgmental writing” and “immediate recording.” Once submitted, your words cannot be changed—not to limit you, but as a gentle exercise: * Accept your emotions instead of adjusting them; * Capture your thoughts as they were, not rewritten by later understanding; * Let go of “right or wrong” and “perfection,” leaving only your true self. Every Lightmark entry is an echo through time and space. 【 Recording Methods · Multi-Sensory 】 Your feelings aren’t only expressed in words. Lightmark supports multiple sensory recording options, letting you capture emotions naturally: * Text Diary: Quietly write and record inner moments; * Voice Diary: No need to organize language, just speak; * Photo Capture: One image records the world you see; * Video Clips: The authentic sound of life, the most vivid memories; * Tag System: Seamlessly insert tags anywhere in text, freely create multi-level structures (e.g., #emotion/happy, #life/family) to lightly organize your diary. Whether it’s a midnight monologue, a morning ray of light, or a fleeting tear, you can collect it your way. 【 Annual Lightmap · See Your Journey 】 Lightmark’s unique “Lightmap” forms your year in a dot matrix. Each day you write sends ripples across the map. * The more you write, the brighter that day’s light point shines; * You can add marks for special days (Unlock this feature by purchasing the full version.). The Lightmap doesn’t tell you which days you “missed” writing and won’t push you to check in. Instead, it gently shows which days were quiet or full of emotion. It’s the path you’ve walked with yourself—a commemorative map left by time. 【 Timeline Diary · Your Life Chronicle 】 Lightmark uses a “one page per day” design, automatically gathering all texts, photos, voice recordings, and videos of the day into time slices—your daily archive. You’ll find life needs no polish; just capture the moment, and time will weave your story. 【 Design Philosophy · Simple · Gentle 】 Lightmark avoids complex categories, using tags for light management, keeping only the essence of “recording.” You’re not writing tasks, but your heart’s voice. * Minimal interface for immersive writing * No distractions, no ads, no popups * Supports dark mode, fitting the quiet of night 【 Who is it for? 】 * People who want to keep diaries but can’t stick with it * People who want to record emotions but don’t know where to start * Those who love the purity of paper diaries but want better saving and searching * Anyone wanting to practice self-acceptance without being trapped by “perfection” Terms of Use: https://app.qlulu.fun/termsofuse Privacy Poclicy: https://app.qlulu.fun/privacy

About

Simple Diary

Features
Read full description

Forget the pressure of writing long entries. This app makes journaling simple and fun, letting you quickly jot down a single thought, a quick feeling, or the day's highlight. It's designed to fit seamlessly into your busy life, helping you build a positive habit without the fuss. "What's on your mind today?" "How was that meeting?" "Did something make you smile?" Your one-liners become a personal timeline, a digital scrapbook of your journey. Easily look back at your entries through a clean calendar view or a simple list, and rediscover those small, significant moments that make up your unique story. It's about making mindfulness easy and accessible. If you're looking for a simple way to reflect, track your mood, or just keep a quick record of your days, the "One-Liner Journal" is perfect for you. Start capturing your story, one line at a time!

Screenshots

Lightmark3 screens
Simple Diary2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Diary at none against Lightmark's 3. Simple Diary also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). Lightmark's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price and device support 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. Lightmark sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Simple Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lightmark ships an update every 3 weeks, Simple Diary every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and May 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Lightmark versus Simple Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLightmarkSimple Diary
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (9 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.016.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer璐 秦Kana Uchida

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Lightmark

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Annual$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$14.99
None

Simple Diary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Lightmark free?
Lightmark is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Diary free?
Simple Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Lightmark or Simple Diary have ads?
Simple Diary shows ads; Lightmark does not.
Which is updated more often, Lightmark or Simple Diary?
Lightmark ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simple Diary every 3 months. Most recently, Lightmark was updated on September 15, 2026 and Simple Diary on May 15, 2026.

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