# nikki vs Secret Diary

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Secret Diary at none against nikki's 2. Secret Diary also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). nikki's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (98% vs 85%). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. nikki sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Secret Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

nikki holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secret Diary has 98 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 85% of Secret Diary's.

nikki ships an update every 2 months, Secret Diary every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | nikki | Secret Diary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nikki-diary/id921470934/reviews)** | [4.7 (98 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-diary-with-lock/id6468484543/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **98** |
| Positive reviews | **98.1% of reviews** | 85.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [REVOLAB Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/575787284) | [Trang Le Thi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1531252314) |

## What reviewers say

### nikki

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nikki-diary/id921470934)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 添付画像を10枚にUP | $2.99 | one-time |
| 広告非表示（広告を外す） | $7.99 | one-time |


### Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secret-diary-diary-with-lock/id6468484543)

Securely record your thoughts, daily events, and journeys with this private diary app. It offers robust security features like Face ID, Touch ID, or passcode lock, and allows for extensive personalization with themes, fonts, and backgrounds. All entries are stored locally for maximum privacy.

**Highlights:** Face ID, Touch ID, passcode lock, iCloud backup and restore, Unlimited editing options, Add photos, backgrounds, fonts, Personalize with artistic themes, Local data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and friendly design
- 🔒 Secure with passcode/lock
- ✍️ Allows dictation and writing feelings
- ✨ No in-app purchases
- 🎨 Customizable fonts, sizes, and backgrounds

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Background theme selection issues
- 🐛 Lock screen appears after entries
- 🐛 App crashes in airplane mode
- 🐛 Difficulty remembering/recovering passcode
- 🐛 Passcode not always visible/functional

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot get back to previous background themes
- Lock screen appears after entries are visible
- App crashes when phone is on airplane mode
- Difficulty entering or recovering passcode
- Passcode not visible or functional at times

**Requested features**

- Allow autocorrect while typing
- Ensure lock screen appears first
- Recover passcode when forgotten
- Add backup feature
- Enable Face ID/Touch ID for login


## Frequently asked questions

### Is nikki free?

nikki is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Secret Diary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, nikki or Secret Diary?

nikki is rated higher. nikki averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Secret Diary averages 4.7 from 98 ratings.

### Do nikki or Secret Diary have ads?

nikki shows ads; Secret Diary does not.

### Which is updated more often, nikki or Secret Diary?

nikki ships an update every 2 months, and Secret Diary every 2 weeks. Most recently, nikki was updated on October 3, 2026 and Secret Diary on October 23, 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.*