Comparison

Journal It vs Ember

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

Head to head
About

Journal It

Features
Read full description

Unleash Your Inner Storyteller – Write, Reflect & Remember with Journal It! Journal It is your all-in-one digital diary and private journal, designed to capture your thoughts, daily reflections, and memories effortlessly. Whether you're recording life’s moments, setting goals, or expressing gratitude, Journal It provides a secure, organized, and customizable space for you to write freely. The Power of Journaling – Transform Your Mindset! - Reduce stress & anxiety - Boost self-awareness & mindfulness - Track progress & achieve goals - Enhance creativity & self-expression - Preserve memories & meaningful moments Why Choose Journal It? - Capture & Organize with Ease Write Freely – Note down daily thoughts, reflections, and ideas in a distraction-free space. Attach Photos – Add images to bring your memories to life. Voice Memos – Record thoughts instantly and preserve them in your own voice. Hashtags – Add trending hashtags to your daily journaling. Bullet Points & Lists – Structure your writing for clarity and organization. - Secure & Private Diary with Password Diary with Lock – Keep your journal entries safe with passcode protection. Private & Encrypted – Your journal diary stays confidential and secure. Offline Mode – Write anytime, anywhere, without the internet. Daily Reminders – Stay consistent with gentle journaling prompts. - Personalized Journaling Experience Custom Backgrounds – Set the mood with aesthetic themes and colors. Express Yourself – Use expressive stickers to enhance your entries. Intuitive & User-Friendly Design – Simple, seamless interface for smooth writing. Perfect for: - My Diary – Keep a diary book of your thoughts & emotions. - Diary App – A simple, easy-to-use free diary for daily reflections. - Gratitude – Express gratitude & progress effortlessly. Start Your Journaling Journey Today! Download Journal It now!! – your ultimate Diary App for a secure and personalized writing experience! Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/journalit-privacy-policy/home Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Ember

Features
Read full description

Ember is a diary for the things you wouldn't say out loud yet. The day you almost quit. The walk that fixed you. The sentence your mother said in 2007 that you still think about. It's not a notebook for productivity or a journal for habits. It's a place to write the way you'd write to yourself at three in the morning, when nobody is watching and the sentences don't have to be good. The page is plain on purpose. Fraunces or Lora for the writing, set at a size that doesn't make you squint. A title field that doesn't ask much. A small line for the weather, the mood, the song that was playing. Voice memos when typing feels like too much. Photos when a photo says it faster. A drawing layer for the days a doodle is the whole entry. Each morning, one prompt, if you want one. Ignore it if you don't. Everything you write stays on this iPhone, encrypted with AES-GCM the moment you tap save. There is no Ember server. No account to make. No analytics looking over your shoulder. We couldn't read your entries if we tried β€” we built it that way on purpose. Ember is free to download with everything unlocked. One small banner supports development β€” remove it anytime with a single one-time purchase. No subscription, no auto-renewal, no popups asking you to upgrade in eighteen months. Export to Markdown or PDF whenever you like, and take what you wrote with you. The diary is yours; we're just the room it sits in. Write something today. Even one line.

Screenshots

Journal It4 screens
Ember4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ember at every 3 weeks against Journal It's every 2 months. Journal It's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Journal It sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Ember sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Journal It ships an update every 2 months, Ember every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Journal It versus Ember: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJournal ItEmber
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks β€” better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better17.4
Further details β€” not scored
Size129 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAPPSUCCESSOR MEDIA PRIVATE LIMITEDδΈ½δ½³ ζ–½

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Journal It

Subscriptions2
  • Journal It Monthly Premium$1.991 Month
  • Journal It Yearly Premium$12.991 Year
One-time1
  • Journal It Lifetime Premium$31.99
1 purchases

Ember

One-time1
  • Ember Pro$0.99

Questions

Is Journal It free?
Journal It is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ember free?
Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Journal It or Ember have ads?
Both Journal It and Ember show ads.
Which is updated more often, Journal It or Ember?
Journal It ships an update every 2 months, and Ember every 3 weeks. Most recently, Journal It was updated on October 25, 2026 and Ember on October 28, 2026.

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