Comparison

Offgrid Diary vs Local Journal

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

Head to head
About

Offgrid Diary

Features
Read full description

Your journal. Offline. Private. Forever yours. Offgrid Diary is a distraction-free space for your thoughtsβ€”stored only on your iPhone and protected by strong AES-256 encryption and a 6-digit PIN. Nothing leaves your device unless you export it. β—† Key features Time-warp swipe – revisit entries from the same day in past years with one gesture. Ink-ripple writing – subtle animation turns typing into a calming ritual. Full-device encryption – every word is locked with AES-256; the key never leaves Secure Enclave. Zero cloud, zero trackers – no analytics SDKs, no background uploads. Quick export – back up your diary as JSON or TXT whenever you want. Multi-language UI – English, Русский, EspaΓ±ol. Statistics – word and entry counts, ranges, and upcoming mood analysis (Pro). β—† Why Offgrid Diary? Unlike most diary apps, we don’t require an account, subscription cloud, or internet connection. Offgrid Diary is perfect for writers, travelers, and privacy-first users who want a lightweight, elegant place to remember the past and reflect on the present. β—† Roadmap We’re building on-device AI summaries and mood insightsβ€”coming soon as an optional Pro upgrade. Your memories deserve a safe home. Download Offgrid Diary and start writing offline today.

About

Local Journal

Features
Read full description

Private, local-first journaling with on device voice recording and transcription. Every entry is stored locally on your iPhone - no accounts, no tracking, nothing synced by us. When you save or share a backup, you decide where it goes: your device or your own cloud storage. Your journal. Your device. Nobody else. Just you and your thoughts. Whether you journal daily or occasionally, Local Journal gets out of the way and lets you write. FREE FEATURES β€’ Write freely or use built-in prompts: free write, daily reflection, gratitude β€’ Browse your entries in a clean timeline β€’ Search instantly β€” everything happens on your device β€’ Export as a text file (always free) β€’ Light and dark mode PREMIUM β€” $6.99 one-time purchase. No subscription. Ever. β€’ Voice entry with on-device English transcription and editable transcript β€” your audio isn't sent to any servers β€’ Face ID / PIN lock β€’ Export as PDF or JSON β€’ Import journal backups PRIVACY BY DESIGN β€’ No accounts β€’ No ads β€’ No analytics or tracking β€’ No subscriptions β€’ Entries are always stored locally - nothing synced by us β€’ Backups go wherever you choose to save or share them FAQ Is it really free? Yes. Writing, timeline, and search are free forever. Premium adds voice entry, lock, and advanced export. Do I need an account? No. No sign-up, no login, no email. The app works entirely offline. Where is my data stored? Your journal entries are always stored locally on your device. Local Journal has no cloud servers and nothing syncs automatically. Can I back up my journal to the cloud? Yes, if you want to. When you save or share an export, you pick the destination β€” your device, or your own cloud storage like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox, using your phone's share sheet. We believe you should be deliberate with your personal data and decide, each time you save or share. Can I take my data with me? Yes. Text export is always free. PDF and JSON export are included with premium. Is this a subscription? No. $6.99 once. Yours forever.

Screenshots

Offgrid Diary4 screens
Local Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Offgrid Diary at none against Local Journal's 1. Offgrid Diary also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs fortnightly). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Offgrid Diary ships an update every 3 days, Local Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Offgrid Diary versus Local Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOffgrid DiaryLocal Journal
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 days β€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size24 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMaksim BasevCK Creative and Consulting LLC

In-app purchases

None

Offgrid Diary

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Local Journal

One-time1
  • Premium$6.99

Questions

Is Offgrid Diary free?
Offgrid Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Local Journal free?
Local Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Offgrid Diary or Local Journal have ads?
Neither Offgrid Diary nor Local Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Offgrid Diary or Local Journal?
Offgrid Diary ships an update every 3 days, and Local Journal fortnightly. Most recently, Offgrid Diary was updated on September 23, 2026 and Local Journal on September 20, 2026.

Other comparisons