Comparison

Writeblock vs Simple Journal

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

Head to head
About

Writeblock

Read full description

Your favorite apps are on pause. The key? Just 50 characters about your day. Write a quick journal entry, and everything unlocks. Skip it, and YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram stay locked. Writeblock is not a journaling app. It's a habit engine. We block your dopamine apps every night until you write. No fancy editor — but Markdown, photos, and voice memos come standard. Most people discover they actually enjoy it. WHAT MAKES WRITEBLOCK DIFFERENT - Apps stay blocked until you journal — no willpower needed - 50 characters. That's about 3 sentences. Takes 2 minutes - Attach photos, record voice memos — no limits - Markdown formatting, for when you're that kind of person - No account, no signup — we never see a word you write - Build a streak — then graduate to any diary app you love - Export your entries anytime, for free, forever HOW IT WORKS 1. Pick the apps you can't stop opening 2. Set your nightly block time (default: 9 PM) 3. When blocked, write 50 characters to unlock everything 4. Watch your streak grow. Watch your habits change. YOUR DATA IS YOURS Your journal entries live on your device — and, with iCloud sync on, in your own private iCloud. They never reach our servers, and with no account, we literally can't read your diary. Export to Markdown anytime — it's always free. FREE TO START. $9.99 TO UNLOCK FOR GOOD. Journaling, full diary access, Markdown export, Face ID lock, iCloud sync — free forever. App blocking is free to try for two weeks; unlock it permanently with one $9.99 purchase. No subscription. No ads. No accounts. Pay once, own it forever.

About

Simple Journal

A minimalist daily journaling app designed for effortless reflection. Focus on writing without distractions like titles, templates, or ads. Easily track your thoughts and memories with a simple, one-page-per-day format.

Highlights
  • No titles, autosave
  • One page per day
  • Calendar view for past entries
  • Keyword search
  • No ads or social features
  • Dark mode
  • Face ID/passcode lock
Read full description

Simple Journal is a quiet, comfortable journaling app you can keep up without effort. Open it whenever you feel like writing, and jot down just a few lines. That small habit, repeated day after day, becomes a record worth keeping. No titles. No templates. No save button. We stripped away everything unnecessary, so you can simply focus on writing. And Simple Journal has no ads — at all. Unlike many other apps, it wasn't built to generate ad revenue. Your entries stay yours, undisturbed by anyone else. Key Features ・No title needed, autosave — start writing the moment you open the app ・One page per day, with free editing and additions anytime ・Browse past entries instantly from the calendar view ・Find any entry in seconds with keyword search ・No ads, no social features, no AI ・Available in 日本語・English・한국어 Premium Features ・Dark mode ・Premium font selection ・Export your journal ・Import your journal ・Face ID / passcode lock Just one minute a day. Let's quietly record your everyday life.

Screenshots

Writeblock4 screens
Simple Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

Writeblock and Simple Journal are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Writeblock sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Simple Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Writeblock versus Simple Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWriteblockSimple Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.5 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developersumin leeDaiki Kitaoka

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Writeblock

One-time1
  • 앱잠금 영구 해제$9.99
1 purchases

Simple Journal

One-time1
  • Premium$9.99

Questions

Is Writeblock free?
Writeblock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simple Journal free?
Simple Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Writeblock or Simple Journal have ads?
Neither Writeblock nor Simple Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Writeblock or Simple Journal?
Writeblock ships an update every 2 months, and Simple Journal every 2 months. Most recently, Writeblock was updated on October 31, 2026 and Simple Journal on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons