# Ember vs Simple Journal

The clearest difference is ads: Simple Journal at none against Ember's shown. Simple Journal also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.4). Ember's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ember 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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Ember | Simple Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-journal-daily-diary/id6783586117/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 12 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [丽佳 施](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894580777) | [Daiki Kitaoka](https://appshunter.io/developer/6783586119) |

## What reviewers say

### Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ember-private-diary/id6769777961)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ember Pro | $0.99 | one-time |


### Simple Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-journal-daily-diary/id6783586117)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ember free?

Ember 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 Ember or Simple Journal have ads?

Ember shows ads; Simple Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ember or Simple Journal?

Ember ships an update every 3 weeks, and Simple Journal every 2 months. Most recently, Ember was updated on October 28, 2026 and Simple Journal on October 25, 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.*