Comparison

nikki vs DrawerJournal

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

Head to head
About

nikki

This app allows you to keep a private diary with rich media. You can add photos, take notes in a chat format, and use it as a planner. Security features include password and biometric locks, with customizable themes to personalize your journaling experience.

Highlights
  • Insert pictures into diary entries
  • Chat-style memo function
  • Use as a future date schedule book
  • Password and biometric app lock
  • Various fun stamps
  • Customizable timeline themes (Pinboard, List, Calendar)
Features
Read full description

Wanna write your secret diary...?? Here is the perfect app for you!! ◎Functions 1. Pictures can be inserted into each article. 2. There is a memo function: You can take notes in a chat format. 3. It can be used as a schedule book by writing on a future date. 4. You can lock the app with a password. It corresponds also to Face ID, Touch ID. 5. There are various fun stamps. ◎Change the timeline theme as you like (3 types) 1. Pinboard type with an emphasis on photos 2. List type with an emphasis on articles 3. Calendar type with an emphasis on practicality

About

DrawerJournal

This app allows you to easily record daily events and thoughts in a timeline format. You can add text, photos, and audio recordings, and organize entries with tags. It offers a secure, offline space for your private memories.

Highlights
  • Chronological notes with photos and audio
  • Organize entries with labels/tags
  • Voice recording for immersive memories
  • Secure app lock with biometric authentication
  • Keyword search functionality
  • Offline data storage
Features
Read full description

Your thoughts deserve a safe space. DrawerJournal is a private diary and mindfulness journal that lets you capture your thoughts, feelings, and daily moments — right when they happen. No cloud uploads, no sign-ups. Just you and your words, stored safely on your device. Ever wanted to write something down but forgot it hours later? With DrawerJournal, you can jot down thoughts in seconds, building a personal timeline of your day. It’s journaling made effortless. Write in the moment, then look back days later. Even on days when “nothing happened,” you might be surprised to find how much was actually on your mind. That quiet self-reflection is where real growth begins. Here’s what makes DrawerJournal special: DrawerJournal is a completely offline journal in a beautiful timeline format. Your entries never leave your device — there are no servers, no accounts, and no way for anyone else to read your private reflections. Write freely with photos, and keep it simple. We designed it so that anyone can start journaling in under a minute. Whether you use it as a daily diary, a gratitude notebook, a mood tracker, or a quick memo pad — DrawerJournal adapts to your life. Give it a try. Features: • Timeline Notes with Photos & Audio Each entry is timestamped automatically, creating a chronological flow of your day. Attach photos and voice memos to bring your memories to life. Write during your commute, lunch break, or quiet moments before bed. Your posts line up like a personal feed — a safe, private timeline just for you. • Organize with Labels Use labels (tags) to group entries by theme across any date. Family moments, health tracking, travel memories, work reflections — categorize anything and revisit it effortlessly. Create, edit, and assign labels anytime. Build a system that fits your life. • Voice Recording Capture sounds along with your writing. Record the ambient music of a café, rain on a window, or fireworks in the distance. Listening back transports you to that exact moment. You can even keep a voice diary before sleep — no bright screen needed. You can also keep entries by voice. • Privacy Lock This is your space, and yours alone. Lock the app with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Even if your phone is lost, your journal stays private. All data is stored locally — nothing goes online, ever. Write without holding back. Unlock your thoughts in a space no one else can see. • Powerful Search Find any entry instantly by keyword. Jump back to a memory from months ago or locate an important note in seconds. Never worry about losing track of something you wrote. View your entries by date and time to notice patterns in your thoughts and growth over time. • Beautiful Customization Choose from multiple fonts, adjust text size, and pick a theme color that feels right. Dark mode keeps things comfortable at night. Set a personal background image to make your journal truly yours. A simple diary becomes something special with just a small touch of personality. DrawerJournal can be your daily diary, a mindful writing space, a gratitude journal, a scrapbook of memories, or simply a place to think out loud. We kept the design minimal on purpose — so you can focus on what matters: your thoughts. We built DrawerJournal hoping to hear, “This is exactly the app I was looking for.” We hope it becomes a quiet, meaningful part of your everyday life. Privacy Policy: https://toastplanet.com/drawerjournal/privacy Terms of Use: https://toastplanet.com/drawerjournal/terms

Screenshots

nikki4 screens
DrawerJournal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: DrawerJournal at every 4 days against nikki's every 2 months. DrawerJournal also leads on ratings volume (74 vs 5). nikki's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (98% vs 88%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. nikki sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and DrawerJournal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

nikki holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DrawerJournal has 74 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of nikki's written reviews are positive against 88% of DrawerJournal's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

nikki ships an update every 2 months, DrawerJournal every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on June 9, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
nikki versus DrawerJournal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameternikkiDrawerJournal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better4.6 (74 ratings)
Positive reviews98.1% of reviews — better87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings574 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperREVOLAB Inc.ToastPlanet Inc.

Customer experience

nikki

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive98.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.9%

DrawerJournal

All ratings74 ratings
Positive90.5%
Neutral6.8%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews144 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral7.6%
Negative4.9%

Bugs and requests

nikki

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

DrawerJournal

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional crashes or data loss when editing entries
  • Background music playback issues

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to add videos or audio recordings
  • Cloud sync and backup across devices
  • More customization options for fonts, colors, and layouts
  • Thread-like functionality to connect related entries
  • Improved image handling and editing tools

In-app purchases

2 purchases

nikki

One-time2
  • 添付画像を10枚にUP$2.99
  • 広告非表示(広告を外す)$7.99
3 purchases

DrawerJournal

Subscriptions2
  • DrawerJournal Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • DrawerJournal Premium Annual7 Days trial$20.991 Year
One-time1
  • DrawerJournal One-Time$59.99

Questions

Is nikki free?
nikki is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DrawerJournal free?
DrawerJournal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, nikki or DrawerJournal?
nikki is rated higher. nikki averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while DrawerJournal averages 4.6 from 74 ratings.
Do nikki or DrawerJournal have ads?
Both nikki and DrawerJournal show ads.
Which is updated more often, nikki or DrawerJournal?
nikki ships an update every 2 months, and DrawerJournal every 4 days. Most recently, nikki was updated on June 9, 2026 and DrawerJournal on September 25, 2026.

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