Comparison

HotJot Notes vs JournalWrite

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

Head to head
About

HotJot Notes

Capture ideas, photos, and thoughts quickly using a familiar text thread interface. Organize your life into chronological "Stacks" for focused streams of consciousness. Export your data easily in universal Markdown format.

Highlights
  • Text-to-Save workflow
  • Organize into Stacks
  • Visual Timelines
  • Total Privacy
  • Export to Markdown
  • No ads
Features
Read full description

Stop overthinking your notes. HotJot is the fastest way to capture ideas, photos, and thoughts using an interface you already know: a text thread. Organize your life into Stacks. These are focused, chronological streams of consciousness that feel like texting yourself. Whether it’s a fleeting thought, a photo of a receipt, or a project log, HotJot keeps it organized by time and topic without the heavy feel of other note-taking apps. Why HotJot? • The "Text-to-Save" Workflow: No friction. Just pick a Stack and start typing. • Visual Timelines: Every entry is automatically timestamped. Scroll back to see exactly when an idea struck. • Total Privacy: Your data never leaves your device or your personal iCloud backup. It’s in your control. • Own Your Data: Don’t get locked in. Export any Stack (or your entire library) into a clean .zip file containing universal Markdown files and your original photos or videos. • No ads: We hate ads as much as you do. HotJot is completely free for an introductory period, and if you get it while it's free you'll get upgraded for free later. Perfect for: • Project Tracking: Document progress with photos and quick notes. • Quick Capture: Save links, quotes, book recommendations, and "to-dos" before they vanish. • Personal Journaling: A space for your daily thoughts. • Shopping & Lists: Text your family’s requests into a dedicated Stack.

About

JournalWrite

This app offers a private and distraction-free space for writing journal entries. It helps users build consistent habits by tracking streaks and visualizing progress with clear insights, all while remaining fully offline and ad-free.

Highlights
  • Distraction-free writing experience
  • Offline journaling
  • No ads or accounts required
  • Track journaling streaks
  • Visualize progress with insights
  • Explore entry trends
Features
Read full description

JournalWrite provides a clean, distraction-free journaling experience designed to help you stay consistent, reflect privately, and visualize your progress over time. Track streaks, view meaningful insights, and build a stronger journaling habit - all without ads, accounts, or clutter. SIMPLE BY DESIGN - Clean, distraction-free writing experience - No ads, no clutter, no paywalls - Focused journaling for capturing your thoughts and reflecting clearly POWERFUL STATS - Track your journaling streaks and records - Visualize your progress with clean insights - Explore trends across all journal entries - Stay motivated with clear progress over time PRIVATE & OFFLINE - Your entries stay on your device - Fully offline journaling - No account required - No personal data collected If you enjoy journaling, tracking your growth, and keeping your thoughts private, JournalWrite is built for you.

Screenshots

HotJot Notes4 screens
JournalWrite4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: HotJot Notes at 15.1 against JournalWrite's 18.0. On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HotJot Notes against 5.0 for JournalWrite. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
HotJot Notes versus JournalWrite: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHotJot NotesJournalWrite
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings)
Number of ratings23 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSandstorm Innovations LLC (US)Jacob Kappler

Customer experience

HotJot Notes

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

JournalWrite

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HotJot Notes

No in-app purchases

None

JournalWrite

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HotJot Notes free?
HotJot Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is JournalWrite free?
JournalWrite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HotJot Notes or JournalWrite?
HotJot Notes and JournalWrite are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.
Do HotJot Notes or JournalWrite have ads?
Neither HotJot Notes nor JournalWrite shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HotJot Notes or JournalWrite?
HotJot Notes ships an update every 2 months, and JournalWrite every 2 months. Most recently, HotJot Notes was updated on October 24, 2026 and JournalWrite on October 9, 2026.

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