# Private Notes and Secret Diary vs Lock Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Lock Notes at 4.5 against Private Notes and Secret Diary's 3.9. Lock Notes also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 38%) and update cadence (every 10 days vs every 10 months). Private Notes and Secret Diary's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Notes and Secret Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Lock Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Lock Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lock Notes has 1.1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Private Notes and Secret Diary's written reviews are positive against 73% of Lock Notes's.

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, Lock Notes every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Notes and Secret Diary | Lock Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-and-secret-diary/id982348636/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **73.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 6 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tigran Mkhitaryan](https://appshunter.io/developer/602761285) | [JulyApps Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/427694580) |

## What reviewers say

### Private Notes and Secret Diary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-and-secret-diary/id982348636)

Securely store and manage your private notes with password protection. Keep personal details safe from prying eyes on your device, even when sharing with others.

**Highlights:** Password protection for notes, Secure storage of personal details, Create simple notes, Share device while keeping notes secure, Prevent unauthorized access

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |


### Lock Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-notes-passcode-protect/id1033962570)

Securely store and protect your private notes with a passcode or Touch ID. Keep sensitive information like passwords, secrets, and diary entries safe from unauthorized access. Backup and sync notes across devices, customize their appearance, and even add images.

**Highlights:** Passcode and Touch ID protection, Security question recovery, iCloud backup and sync, Customizable font style and size, Insert images into notes, Print and share notes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Auto Backup | $14.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Notes | $4.99 | one-time |
| Lock Notes Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient
- 🔑 Passcode/biometric protection
- 💾 Cloud backup

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited free notes
- 💰 Paywall for advanced features
- 🐛 Crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Lack of search functionality
- 📁 No folder organization

**Reported bugs**

- Notes disappearing after updates
- Inability to access notes after device reset
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Advanced formatting options
- Ability to change passcode
- Improved search capabilities
- Folder/organization system
- Better backup and restore options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Private Notes and Secret Diary free?

Private Notes and Secret Diary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Lock Notes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Private Notes and Secret Diary or Lock Notes?

Lock Notes is rated higher. Private Notes and Secret Diary averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Lock Notes averages 4.5 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Private Notes and Secret Diary or Lock Notes have ads?

Neither Private Notes and Secret Diary nor Lock Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Private Notes and Secret Diary or Lock Notes?

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, and Lock Notes every 10 days. Most recently, Private Notes and Secret Diary was updated on September 12, 2026 and Lock Notes on September 30, 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.*