Comparison

Notes by viyali vs A5 Journal

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

Head to head
About

Notes by viyali

Features
Read full description

Capture thoughts quickly and keep them private, and access them from any device by using sync feature. Notes by Viyali is a focused, minimal notes app built around privacy. Create notes, organize them into folders, and enable a device passcode for private notes. If you want multi-device access, enable Google Drive sync while notes are saved to your Drive or locally and we don’t access them. Features Optional password lock for private notes Google Drive and Drop Box sync (your data, your storage) Smart folders and fast search Adjustable font sizes for comfortable reading Lightweight, distraction free interface Privacy Policy: https://viyali.com/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/Upgrade to Premium for ad-free use, enhanced backup options, and priority features.

About

A5 Journal

Features
Read full description

A5 JOURNAL Your Records. Your Proof. Your Story. Your life deserves more than another notes app. A5 Journal combines the warmth of traditional journaling with powerful digital documentation tools. Build your own beautiful library, create notebooks, and capture everything from everyday memories to important professional records. YOUR HISTORY, PRESERVED Every entry is timestamped and permanently recorded. Once saved, it cannot be edited or rewritten, helping you preserve an authentic history of what happened and when. EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE Create notebooks for personal journaling, work documentation, project tracking, incident reports, memories, and more. FEATURES YOU'LL LOVE β€’ Beautiful digital libraries and notebooks β€’ Permanent, timestamped entries β€’ Photos and supporting attachments β€’ Customizable forms and reports β€’ Offline mobile journaling with automatic synchronization β€’ Shared journals for families and teams β€’ A5 Mailroom for sharing letters and records β€’ Search, starred entries, and reminders β€’ Export your records whenever you need them β€’ Memberships for individuals, families, and businesses BUILT FOR LIFE AND WORK Whether you're preserving memories, tracking personal goals, documenting workplace events, or collaborating with your team, A5 Journal keeps your records organized and accessible. Start building your library today. A5 Journal β€” Your Records. Your Proof. Your Story. Important Notice: A5 Journal is a documentation and organizational tool, not a legal service. Records are not guaranteed to be legally admissible. A 7-day free trial is available for eligible individual subscriptions. An active subscription is required after the trial. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Notes by viyali4 screens
A5 Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: A5 Journal at none against Notes by viyali's shown. A5 Journal also leads on update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Notes by viyali's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases 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. Notes by viyali sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and A5 Journal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Notes by viyali ships an update fortnightly, A5 Journal weekly. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Notes by viyali versus A5 Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNotes by viyaliA5 Journal
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly β€” better
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 β€” better15.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size40 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLetsdosimpleThinkFULL Holdings Inc.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Notes by viyali

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly$9.991 Year
10 purchases

A5 Journal

Subscriptions10
  • A5 Journal Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Members - Monthly7 Days trial4 variants$2.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Family Plan$10.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • A5 Journal Business Plan Monthly$25.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Members - Yearly7 Days trial4 variants$29.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business+ Plan Monthly$49.991 Month
  • A5 Journal Family Plan Yearly$109.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business Plan Yearly$259.991 Year
  • A5 Journal Business+ Plan Yearly$499.991 Year

Questions

Is Notes by viyali free?
Notes by viyali is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is A5 Journal free?
A5 Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Notes by viyali or A5 Journal have ads?
Notes by viyali shows ads; A5 Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, Notes by viyali or A5 Journal?
Notes by viyali ships an update fortnightly, and A5 Journal weekly. Most recently, Notes by viyali was updated on October 28, 2026 and A5 Journal on October 28, 2026.

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