Local Journal vs SandyNote
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Local Journal
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Local Journal® is a private, local-first journaling diary with on device voice recording and transcription. Every entry is stored locally on your iPhone - no accounts, no tracking, nothing synced by us. When you save or share a backup, you decide where it goes: your device or your own cloud storage. Your journal. Your device. Nobody else. Just you and your thoughts. Whether you journal daily or occasionally, Local Journal® gets out of the way and lets you write. FREE FEATURES • Write freely or use built-in prompts: free write, daily reflection, gratitude • Browse your entries in a clean timeline • Search instantly — everything happens on your device • Export as a text file (always free) • Light and dark mode PREMIUM — One-time purchase. No subscription. Ever. • Voice entry with on-device English transcription and editable transcript — your audio isn't sent to any servers • Face ID / PIN lock • Export as PDF or JSON • Import journal backups PRIVACY BY DESIGN • No accounts • No ads • No analytics or tracking • No subscriptions • Entries are always stored locally - nothing synced by us • Backups go wherever you choose to save or share them FAQ Is it really free? Yes. Writing, timeline, search, and text export are free forever. Premium adds voice entry, lock, and advanced export. Do I need an account? No. No sign-up, no login, no email. The app works entirely offline. Where is my data stored? Your journal entries are always stored locally on your device. Local Journal has no cloud servers and nothing syncs automatically. Can I back up my journal to the cloud? Yes, if you want to. When you save or share an export, you pick the destination — your device, or your own cloud storage like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox, using your phone's share sheet. We believe you should be deliberate with your personal data and decide, each time you save or share. Can I take my data with me? Yes. Text export is always free. PDF and JSON export are included with premium. Is this a subscription? No. Premium is a one-time purchase. Yours forever.
SandyNote
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Sandy Note - Notes That Feel Like Chat Stop wrestling with complicated note apps. Sandy Note lets you capture thoughts as naturally as sending a message. KEY FEATURES - Chat-Style Interface Type and send - your notes appear like chat bubbles - iCloud Sync Automatic sync across all your Apple devices - Multiple Notes Create unlimited notes, each with its own chat history - Search Function Find any note instantly - Three Beautiful Themes Choose Dark, Pink, or Mercury - Tap to Edit Edit any message by simply tapping on it - No Clutter Clean, distraction-free interface PERFECT FOR - Quick thoughts and ideas - Meeting notes - Shopping lists - Daily journaling - Brainstorming sessions HOW IT WORKS 1. Create a new note (or open existing) 2. Type your thought 3. Hit send 4. It's saved and synced That's it! No folders, no tags, no complexity. ICLOUD SYNC Your notes are automatically synced across: - iPhone - iPad - Mac (coming soon) Start on one device, continue on another - seamlessly. PRIVACY Your notes are yours alone. All data is stored in your personal iCloud account. We never see your notes. Download Sandy Note and start noting the natural way! --- Part of the Sandy Lab family of productivity apps.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SandyNote at none against Local Journal's 1. SandyNote also leads on update cadence (daily vs fortnightly). Local Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Local Journal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SandyNote asks for nothing beyond the download.
Local Journal ships an update fortnightly, SandyNote daily. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Local Journal | SandyNote |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CK Creative and Consulting LLC | Hiroyuki Akaji |
In-app purchases
Local Journal
- Premium$9.99
SandyNote
No in-app purchases









