# Simple Diary vs Jotdown

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Simple Diary at none against Jotdown's 1. Simple Diary also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18). Jotdown's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Jotdown sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Simple Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simple Diary ships an update every 3 months, Jotdown monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Diary | Jotdown |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Size | 8 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kana Uchida](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819475901) | [Yugi Motta](https://appshunter.io/developer/1806832610) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-myjot/id6747032449)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Jotdown

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jotdown-quick-notes/id6763202831)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Jotdown Full Version | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Diary free?

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

### Is Jotdown free?

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

### Do Simple Diary or Jotdown have ads?

Simple Diary shows ads; Jotdown does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Diary or Jotdown?

Simple Diary ships an update every 3 months, and Jotdown monthly. Most recently, Simple Diary was updated on October 30, 2026 and Jotdown on November 7, 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.*