# Opal vs Shadow Work Journal & Diary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Work Journal & Diary at none against Opal's 1. Opal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 months) and ratings volume (38 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Opal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Shadow Work Journal & Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Opal against 5.0 for Shadow Work Journal & Diary. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Opal has 38 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Opal ships an update every 2 weeks, Shadow Work Journal & Diary every 5 months. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Opal | Shadow Work Journal & Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-guided-journal-and-diary/id6745115075/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-journal-and-diary/id6751793382/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **38** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 359 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Darby Tarlow](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810836939) | [Fenuku Kekeli](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822419894) |

## What reviewers say

### Opal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/opal-guided-journal-and-diary/id6745115075)

This app offers guided journaling and reflection prompts to help users explore their thoughts, emotions, and dreams. It features a free library of guides, multi-day series, and audio journaling options. Users can also connect themes across their entries and maintain privacy with on-device storage.

**Highlights:** Guided journaling prompts, Free library of guides, Multi-day reflection series, Audio journaling with ambient soundscapes, Handwriting, typing, and voice entry, AI-powered theme analysis, On-device private storage

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $7.99 | per month |


### Shadow Work Journal & Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-journal-and-diary/id6751793382)

Explore your hidden self and begin healing with guided reflection. Track emotions, uncover insights, and integrate repressed feelings through daily journaling and exercises. This app helps you gain self-awareness and self-acceptance.

**Highlights:** Daily journaling with prompts, Shadow mapping for patterns, Emotional mood tracking, Guided self-awareness exercises, Inner child and persona prompts

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Opal free?

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

### Is Shadow Work Journal & Diary free?

Shadow Work Journal & Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Opal or Shadow Work Journal & Diary?

Opal and Shadow Work Journal & Diary are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 38 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Opal or Shadow Work Journal & Diary have ads?

Neither Opal nor Shadow Work Journal & Diary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Opal or Shadow Work Journal & Diary?

Opal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Shadow Work Journal & Diary every 5 months. Most recently, Opal was updated on November 5, 2026 and Shadow Work Journal & Diary on November 5, 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.*