# Magic Journal vs Arc

The clearest difference is update cadence: Magic Journal at daily against Arc's every 3 weeks. Arc's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Magic Journal ships an update daily, Arc every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Magic Journal | Arc |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-diary-and-biographer/id6787848527/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Daily** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 25 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nftstory](https://appshunter.io/developer/1852588961) | [Johnny Tsao](https://appshunter.io/developer/6787848529) |

## What reviewers say

### Magic Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-journal-voice-notes/id6763813341)

**In-app purchases:** none


### Arc

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arc-diary-and-biographer/id6787848527)

This app helps you capture your life's moments through voice, text, or video. It then analyzes your entries to reveal connections and turning points, creating a personal biography.

**Highlights:** Voice, text, and video journaling, Automatic weekly reflections, "Arc noticed..." insight cards, Identification of defining moments, Year-in-review narrative, Biographical story creation

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Magic Journal free?

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

### Is Arc free?

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

### Do Magic Journal or Arc have ads?

Neither Magic Journal nor Arc shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Magic Journal or Arc?

Magic Journal ships an update daily, and Arc every 3 weeks. Most recently, Magic Journal was updated on October 25, 2026 and Arc on October 31, 2026.

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