Comparison

Ichigyo vs Pawtale

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

Head to head
About

Ichigyo

Features
Read full description

One small entry. A day worth keeping. Ichigyo is a quiet diary for the days you want to remember, and the days when a few words are enough. Write up to 140 characters a day. A sentence, a thought, or just "Tired." Save it, and you're done. A ROOM MADE OF YOUR DAYS Your entries become monthly and weekly books in a little attic library. Read them on the bookshelf, arrange your room, and look out at a Japanese countryside view that changes from morning to night. As you record more days, furniture and animal companions become available. Past entries count, and you don't need a streak. Gifts you've earned stay available even if you delete an entry. WORDS THAT FIND YOU AGAIN Rediscover an entry from the same day a year ago. When you're just starting, entries from a week or a month ago can return first. Choose your notification time and whether the entry itself appears on your lock screen. NO STREAK TO PROTECT Missed days are simply blank. No red crosses, no broken-streak alerts. Keep the days you write, and come back whenever you like. YOUR DIARY STAYS WITH YOU Diary entries are stored on your device, without an account or automatic cloud sync. Ichigyo does not send your entries to a diary server. Export them as TXT or CSV for free. An optional paid unlock adds password-protected backup export for moving your diary to another device. READ, KEEP, AND SHARE - Browse your calendar, entry list, monthly books, and weekly books. - Revisit the same date across different years. - Save a favorite entry as a poem card, with horizontal or vertical text. - Turn your room, bookshelf, scenery, or keepsake into a wallpaper image. - See a year at a glance and export an image. - Add a widget, with control over whether diary text is shown. OPTIONAL ONE-TIME PURCHASES Writing, basic reading, notifications, TXT/CSV export, and the basic room remain free. No ads or subscriptions. Unlock Journal Features adds four writing themes, app lock with Face ID or device passcode, access to all years in On This Day, A6 PDF books, encrypted backup export, and an alternate app icon. Room and scenery packs are separate purchases: - Lamplit Study: walnut furniture, warm lighting, and decor. - Seaside Window: a seaside view; furniture is not included. - Lakeside Cabin: a lake view, oak furniture, and lakeside decor. - Rainy Street Study: a rainy streetscape, furniture finishes, and decor. - Forest Greenhouse: a garden and greenhouse view, furniture finishes, and decor. - Halloween Study, Christmas Night, and New Year Room: seasonal interiors and decorations, offered during their sale periods. Purchased seasonal items remain usable year-round. Room packs do not include Unlock Journal Features, and that unlock does not include room packs. Companions and diary rewards are earned through recorded days. The scenery and sky use Japan time and a Tokyo-based sky. They do not follow your location or the actual weather. Rainy Street Study and Forest Greenhouse include seasonal scenery changes. JAPANESE AND ENGLISH Use the same app in Japanese or English. Your own entries stay exactly as you wrote them, in any language. A few words today. A little of your life to return to.

About

Pawtale

Read full description

Every paw has a story. Pawtale is a private pet memory journal for the little moments that become a lifetime. Save photos, notes, milestones, and everyday memories in one calm timeline. Keep a simple record of your pet’s care, revisit how life has changed over time, and turn meaningful moments into a beautifully arranged Life Story Book. Remember everyday life Capture the moments you never want to forget: • Photos and memories • Everyday notes and milestones • Favorite moments • A chronological timeline of your pet’s life • Bulk photo import for adding memories faster Pawtale is designed around real life — not perfect records. A sleepy afternoon, a first trip, a funny habit, an ordinary walk — these small moments are part of the story too. Gentle care, without turning Pawtale into a medical app Keep useful everyday care records alongside your memories: • Weight tracking over time • Vet visits • Vaccinations • Medication records • Grooming history • Reminders for future care • A lightweight Today summary Pawtale helps you remember what happened and when, without becoming a complicated health dashboard. Create your Life Story Book Turn your memories into a beautifully arranged story of your pet’s life. Choose how your story is created: • Automatic story selection • Choose specific Moments • Select a date range • Mark favorite Moments • Replace a photo inside the book • Remove a Moment from the book without deleting the original Memory Your original memories remain untouched. Pawtale arranges the story for you while keeping the experience simple and calm. Then & Now Pair two moments and see how much has changed. From tiny beginnings to familiar routines, Then & Now helps you revisit the passage of time in a simple visual keepsake. Made for privacy Pawtale is local-first. Your memories, pet information, care records, photos, and story creation stay on your device. • No account required • No social feed • No tracking • No advertising profile • No cloud account required Your pet’s story stays yours. Pawtale Pro Pawtale Pro unlocks more ways to create and keep your memories, including: • Life Story Book • Then & Now • Premium Share Cards • Extended creative features Pawtale Pro is available as a one-time lifetime purchase. Remember the everyday. Keep the whole story.

Screenshots

Ichigyo4 screens
Pawtale4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pawtale at every 2 weeks against Ichigyo's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Ichigyo sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Pawtale sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ichigyo ships an update every 3 weeks, Pawtale every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Ichigyo versus Pawtale: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIchigyoPawtale
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRyo Uejima程 杜

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Ichigyo

One-time9
  • Lamplit Study$3.59
  • Seaside Window$3.59
  • Lakeside Cabin$3.59
Show 6 more
  • New Year Room$3.59
  • Forest Greenhouse$3.59
  • Halloween Study$3.59
  • Christmas Night$3.59
  • Rainy Street Study$3.59
  • Unlock Journal Features$4.99
1 purchases

Pawtale

One-time1
  • Pawtale Pro Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Ichigyo free?
Ichigyo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pawtale free?
Pawtale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Ichigyo or Pawtale have ads?
Neither Ichigyo nor Pawtale shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ichigyo or Pawtale?
Ichigyo ships an update every 3 weeks, and Pawtale every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ichigyo was updated on November 10, 2026 and Pawtale on November 6, 2026.

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