# Chat Journal vs Alare

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Alare at none against Chat Journal's 1. Alare also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). Chat Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (18.5 vs 26.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Chat Journal ships an update every 2 months, Alare monthly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chat Journal | Alare |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **18.5** | 26.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mamiko Tsukamoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837855636) | [Cizzuk Shihu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1674098361) |

## What reviewers say

### Chat Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chat-journal-daily-notes/id6757944003)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro (One-Time Purchase) | $5.99 | one-time |


### Alare

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alare/id6759486773)

This alarm app prevents oversleeping with unique wake-up challenges. Users must perform specific actions like waving the device, scanning a code, drumming on the screen, or tapping a button to stop the alarm. Choose the action that best suits your wake-up needs.

**Highlights:** Unique alarm dismissal actions, Wave device to stop alarm, Scan code to stop alarm, Drum roll on screen to stop alarm, Tap button to stop alarm, Prevents oversleeping

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chat Journal free?

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

### Is Alare free?

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

### Do Chat Journal or Alare have ads?

Neither Chat Journal nor Alare shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chat Journal or Alare?

Chat Journal ships an update every 2 months, and Alare monthly. Most recently, Chat Journal was updated on October 31, 2026 and Alare on October 31, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*