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

A private journal that feels like texting yourself. Jot down a thought, add a photo, or record a voice memo in seconds. Every entry is time-stamped, so your day reads like a timeline. Lock your journal with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode. Stored on this device. Never sent to us. We can't read it. No account needed. No blank page to fill. Write one line when something happens: on the bus, at lunch, at 2 a.m. Then scroll back and find the small moments you'd otherwise forget. QUICK POSTS ON A TIMELINE • Write as many entries a day as you like • Time stamps are added for you, and you can change the date and time anytime PHOTOS, VOICE, AND VIDEO • Up to 6 photos per entry • Record a voice memo with any entry • The Media tab shows the photos, videos, and voice memos from all your entries in one grid • Short video clips with Premium FIND ANYTHING AGAIN • Tags group entries across dates • Calendar view to jump to any day • Search every entry, with matches highlighted • Memories brings back entries from the past LOCK AND PRIVACY • Lock the app with a 4-digit passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID • Your entries are stored on this device. They're never sent to us, and we can't read them • No account, no sign-up • Back up and restore your journal as a ZIP file • Want your journal on more than one device? Turn on iCloud sync (Premium) and your entries are kept in your own iCloud APPLE WATCH AND WIDGETS • Post from your wrist with voice dictation on Apple Watch, plus complications • Home Screen widgets for today and today's entries • Available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac with Apple silicon MAKE IT YOURS • A selection of free themes and fonts • Entry text gets larger when you increase your device's text size • Share a day as an image PREMIUM (OPTIONAL) Everything above is free unless it's marked Premium. The free version shows ads. Premium is an optional paid upgrade, available as a subscription or a one-time purchase. It adds: • Video clips up to 15 seconds each, up to 3 a day: record or choose from your library, then trim (photos and videos share the 6 slots per entry) • iCloud sync between iPhone, iPad, and Mac (iOS 17 or later) • Print your journal or save it as a PDF • Export entries as text (TXT) • Detailed statistics • All 31 themes, handpicked fonts, and premium app icons • More widgets: photo, one-line, and tag widgets • Drawer mode on iPad and Mac, with your tags side by side as columns • Choose the quality of attached photos, videos, and voice memos • All Memories cards (the free version shows 2), a filter for untagged entries, and the option to hide entries in shared images • No ads WHY "DRAWER"? In Japanese, the app is called 引き出し日記, "drawer diary": a drawer to keep your thoughts in. It's popular in Japan and Korea. Open the drawer, drop in a line, close it. 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 6 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 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 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 6 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 MB40 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 6 days. Most recently, nikki was updated on October 3, 2026 and DrawerJournal on October 25, 2026.

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