Comparison

Inks vs HeartNote Diary

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

Head to head
About

Inks

Read full description

In Inks, you can write a letter just for yourself. Write down something that happened today, a thought that suddenly came to mind, or words you’re not ready to say aloud. When you’re done, the letter is saved on your device. It isn’t sent to anyone automatically. If you ever want to share it, that’s your choice. When you open a letter, you see the finished version first. If you want to return to the time you wrote it, you can choose to replay how the words came together. You can keep it to words, or add photos and drawings. Choose stationery and stickers, and add a stamp to the envelope. If you’re not sure where to begin, browse Ideas and start with a prompt. By default, letter content stays on your device. Signing in does not automatically upload it as a cloud backup. Inks also offers an app lock, hidden letters, and local encryption for you to use when needed. Subscriptions Inks offers monthly and yearly auto-renewable subscriptions, as well as a one-time purchase option. Available plans, trial offers, and prices are shown on the App Store purchase screen. Payment is charged to your Apple Account after you confirm a purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically within 24 hours before the end of the current period unless you turn off auto-renewal beforehand. You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in your Apple Account settings. If you cancel, your benefits remain available until the end of the current subscription period. Privacy Policy: https://inks.tinysteps.cn/privacy Terms of Use: https://inks.tinysteps.cn/terms

About

HeartNote Diary

Features
Read full description

HeartNote is an offline-first private journaling app focused on privacy, security, and a calm writing experience. Your entries, photos, audio, video, files, and doodles are stored locally on your device by default. No account is required, and your data is not forced into the cloud. HeartNote helps you capture everyday life in richer ways. In addition to plain text, you can write with images, image groups, video, audio, files, and doodles. The editor supports mixed media layouts, flexible block reordering, and Markdown text, so writing feels natural and expressive. HeartNote also helps you organize and revisit your memories with: Timeline and calendar views Notebooks, tags, weather, and mood metadata Search and filters Media library for browsing attachments On This Day, trends, and review insights Time Capsule reminders for future reflection For privacy and protection, HeartNote supports app lock, PIN, biometric unlock, and local backup and restore, so your journal stays under your control. This version also adds: Multi-year diary Notebook-based journal export Direct journal creation from a selected calendar date Export a single entry as a shareable journal card If you want a journaling app that stays private, works offline, and supports rich content, HeartNote is built for long-term personal use.

Screenshots

Inks4 screens
HeartNote Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HeartNote Diary at none against Inks's 6. HeartNote Diary also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). Inks's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support 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. Inks sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HeartNote Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Inks ships an update every 4 days, HeartNote Diary every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Inks versus HeartNote Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInksHeartNote Diary
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS17.013.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size208 MB55 MB
Age rating9+4+
Developer文鹏 ηŽ‹δΏ ηŽ‹

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Inks

Subscriptions4
  • Inks Pass Owner (Monthly)14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Inks Pass (Monthly)14 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Inks Pass Owner (Yearly)14 Days trial$14.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Inks Pass (Yearly)14 Days trial$24.991 Year
One-time2
  • Lifetime$74.99
  • Founder Edition$84.99
None

HeartNote Diary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Inks free?
Inks is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is HeartNote Diary free?
HeartNote Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Inks or HeartNote Diary have ads?
Neither Inks nor HeartNote Diary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Inks or HeartNote Diary?
Inks ships an update every 4 days, and HeartNote Diary every 3 weeks. Most recently, Inks was updated on October 10, 2026 and HeartNote Diary on October 9, 2026.

Other comparisons