# Castle Journal vs Goshuin Map

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Castle Journal at none against Goshuin Map's 4. Goshuin Map's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Goshuin Map sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Castle Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

Castle Journal ships an update weekly, Goshuin Map every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Castle Journal | Goshuin Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 12 MB | 100 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NAOYA OZAWA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1839036805) | [Pham Works](https://appshunter.io/developer/6778490856) |

## What reviewers say

### Castle Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/castle-journal/id6752355246)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Goshuin Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/goshuin-map/id6778490854)

Discover and collect temple stamps across Japan with a map-based interface. Save your finds digitally, organize them in a virtual book, and share your journey. The app works offline and offers exclusive digital stamps.

**Highlights:** Map-based discovery of shrines and temples, Digital collection and organization of stamps, Virtual 'book view' for collections, Offline access to saved collections, Shareable links for favorite stamps, App-exclusive digital stamps

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| プレミアムプラン（月額） | $1.99 | per month |
| プレミアムプラン（年額） | $14.99 | per year |
| デジタル御朱印（500円） | $2.99 | one-time |
| プレミアムプラン（買い切り） | $6.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Castle Journal free?

Castle Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Goshuin Map free?

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

### Do Castle Journal or Goshuin Map have ads?

Castle Journal shows ads; Goshuin Map does not.

### Which is updated more often, Castle Journal or Goshuin Map?

Castle Journal ships an update weekly, and Goshuin Map every 9 days. Most recently, Castle Journal was updated on September 18, 2026 and Goshuin Map on September 11, 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.*