# Private Notes and Secret Diary vs Secure Notes

The clearest difference is rating: Secure Notes at 4.6 against Private Notes and Secret Diary's 3.9. Secure Notes also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 10 months) and review sentiment (65% vs 38%). Private Notes and Secret Diary's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Private Notes and Secret Diary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Secure Notes sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Secure Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Secure Notes has 716 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 65% of Secure Notes's.

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, Secure Notes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Private Notes and Secret Diary | Secure Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/private-notes-and-secret-diary/id982348636/reviews) | **[4.6 (716 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **716** |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **64.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 6 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tigran Mkhitaryan](https://appshunter.io/developer/602761285) | [PixelPort LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1355467938) |

## 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 |


### Secure Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/secure-notes-secret-and-lock/id1469517353)

Securely store your thoughts, passwords, and sensitive information with multi-layer protection. This app offers robust security features like Face ID and passcode locks for individual notes, folders, and the entire application. It also provides tools for writing, recording voice memos, and organizing content with iCloud sync.

**Highlights:** 3-layer security (app, folders, notes), Face ID, Touch ID, passcode protection, Voice notes up to 10 minutes, Speech-to-text transcription, Markdown editor with live preview, iCloud sync across devices, Trash recovery for 30 days

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Secure Notes - 1 Month PRO | $4.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes - Pro Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Secure Notes Pro Annual Offer | $19.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes - 1 Year PRO | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Notes Pro - Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Secure notes and folders
- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient note-taking
- 💡 Innovative features like Love Voice Notes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy performance after updates
- 🤯 Overly complicated UI changes
- 🔒 Difficulty resetting passwords/access
- 💸 Essential features locked behind paywall

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent app crashes
- Delayed text input and display
- Inability to access locked notes

**Requested features**

- Ability to move notes between folders
- Option to customize font, size, and colors
- Trash/Recycle bin for deleted notes
- Cloud sync/backup functionality


## 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 Secure Notes free?

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

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

Secure Notes is rated higher. Private Notes and Secret Diary averages 3.9 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Secure Notes averages 4.6 from 716 ratings.

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

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

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

Private Notes and Secret Diary ships an update every 10 months, and Secure Notes fortnightly. Most recently, Private Notes and Secret Diary was updated on November 1, 2026 and Secure Notes on November 3, 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.*