MARLVEL

My Diary: Private Journal vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against My Diary: Private Journal's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

My Diary: Private Journal
This App
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary
Nemesis
团纸日记-把生活写成一本书
Contender
一叶日记·极简卡片心情记录日记
Contender
iPocketPrint
Contender
Shine - Timeline diary
Contender
人生瞬间
Peer
DrawMyToday - AI Picture Diary
Peer
My AI Journal
Peer
Triad: Daily Self-Reflection
Peer
Core Identity
DeveloperReena WilliamsBloom Built IncShanghai Ningguang Information Technology Co., Ltd.荣九 蔡胜天 何晓松 高Hangzhou Jina Information Technology Co., Ltd.CHANHO LEEKento UmekiManuel Raimund
CategoryLifestyleHealth & FitnessLifestyleLifestyleLifestyleLifestyleLifestyleLifestyleLifestyleLifestyle
PlatformiOSiOSiOSiOSiOSiOSiOSiOSiOSiOS
Store Metrics
Rating3.7 / 54.8 / 55.0 / 54.7 / 55.0 / 54.0 / 54.8 / 54.3 / 55.0 / 55.0 / 5
Ratings Count3116,168210145611
PriceFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree
Release DateJun 10, 2024Feb 4, 2016Aug 27, 2020Jun 5, 2022Nov 27, 2025Mar 1, 2023Feb 3, 2025Aug 16, 2023Apr 30, 2025May 13, 2025
Last UpdatedAug 28, 2025Apr 27, 2026Apr 8, 2026Jun 28, 2026Jan 7, 2026Jun 3, 2025Jul 1, 2026Jun 7, 2026Jun 25, 2026Jun 15, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment-mixed---excellent-terrible--
Score-45/100---90/100-10/100--
Praises-
  • Long-term journaling habits supported by consistent daily check-in rituals and photo attachments
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  • The diary application provides a satisfying experience through its story and random memory features
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Complaints-
  • Aggressive AI feature integration and subscription price hikes erode long-term user trust
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  • Minor performance stuttering occurs during navigation likely due to the cross-platform development architecture
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  • Aggressive advertisement frequency prevents users from accessing the core daily journaling and illustration features
  • Lack of creative drawing tools forces reliance on automated illustration features for daily entries
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Requests-
  • Voice-to-text and microphone integration to reduce friction during quick daily entry creation
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Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • Simplified, distraction-free interface lowers the barrier to entry for casual journalers
  • End-to-end encryption establishes high switching costs for privacy-conscious users
  • Physical book printing creates a tangible archival moat for long-term records
  • Multi-platform sync ensures persistent data accessibility across the Apple ecosystem
  • Minimalist UI reduces cognitive load for daily reflection
  • Paper book export provides a tangible, high-value end-product
  • Curated content library drives daily habit formation
  • Poetic leaf metaphor provides a unique narrative structure for daily entries
  • Minimalist UI design reduces cognitive load compared to feature-heavy competitors
  • Retro-printing simulation creates a tactile emotional experience
  • Customizable widget layering increases home-screen visibility
  • Story-themed timeline structure enables narrative-first reflection
  • WebDAV sync provides data portability for power users
  • 36 emotional emojis allow for granular mood expression
  • Zero-pressure, social-free environment reduces cognitive load for daily logging.
  • Generative AI visual output provides a personalized creative record
  • Conversational AI interface lowers the barrier to daily entry
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Weaknesses
  • Lack of subscription tiers limits revenue to ad-based inventory
  • Annual subscription price hikes drive churn among decade-long legacy users
  • Post-update stability issues cause data access anxiety and negative sentiment
  • AI-focused UI changes clutter the core writing experience for power users
  • Lack of cross-platform synchronization limits user retention
  • Subscription gating for basic export features restricts the funnel
  • No automated entry options compared to AI-driven rivals
  • Lack of monetization gates limits capital for aggressive feature development
  • Minimalist feature set risks churn when users seek advanced multimedia or AI-driven insights
  • Manual-only entry lacks automated context
  • 100-note storage cap limits long-term power user retention
  • Performance stutters during navigation erode the daily habit
  • Lack of biometric security protocols for private data
  • Non-native architecture limits UI fluidity
  • Absence of historical mood analytics limits long-term user value.
  • Aggressive ad frequency blocks core utility
  • Lack of manual drawing tools limits creative expression
  • No data export functionality limits long-term user trust
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Pricingfreefreemiumsubscriptionfreefreemiumsubscriptionfreefreefree-
MomentumZombieActiveMaintenanceMaintenanceMaintenanceZombieMaintenanceMaintenanceMaintenance-
Update Cadence1 versions3 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~16d avg1 versions, 1 majors/6mo1 versions, 1 majors/6mo1 versions, 1 majors/6mo1 versions1 versions, 1 majors/6mo1 versions1 versions-

Compare My Diary: Private Journal head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by My Diary: Private Journal, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

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