The My Diary Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about My Diary in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
My Diary
The Insider’s Guide
Locked diary with themes, stickers and a mood calendar
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among journaling apps, read from My Diary’s own pages.
Made by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from My Diary’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on My Diary’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade
My Diary is a diary app with a lock for Android, iPhone and iPad from BetterApp Tech. Entries can include photos, videos, recordings and drawings, and are decorated with themes, backgrounds, stickers and fonts. A mood picker feeds a mood calendar and statistics, and tags group entries by topic. Most features are free with ads; a Premium membership, sold monthly, yearly or as a permanent purchase, unlocks extra themes and backgrounds.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about My Diary, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It's a diary: open it, write, pick a mood, add a sticker if you fancy.
- 1
Best for a locked, decorated diary on your phone
Most of it is free, but the free version carries ads and it's phones and tablets only.
- 2
Paid plans start at $2.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $2.99 per month (US App Store in-app purchase).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free with ads: the vendor says most features are free, including the lock, photo entries, mood tracking and tags. Some themes and backgrounds need a Premium membership.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and Android.
- 5
Diary lock
A passcode locks the app, with fingerprint unlock on supported devices. The vendor recommends setting a security question in case the password is forgotten.
- 6
Photo, video and audio entries
Entries can hold pictures, videos, recordings and drawings as well as rich text, and a media view shows all the photos in the journal.
- 7
Themes, backgrounds and stickers
Illustrated themes, a dark theme, entry backgrounds, stickers, emoji and font effects decorate the diary. Some themes and backgrounds are Premium only.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 19 of 35
That is against the other journaling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
You could make this
A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos.
My Diary at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $2.99 per month (US App Store in-app purchase)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- iOS, Android
- Made by
- BetterApp Tech Co., Limited
- Category
- Journaling Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 28,229 ratings
The report card
Best for a locked, decorated diary on your phone
My Diary is a diary with a lock that you can dress up with themes, backgrounds, stickers and fonts, with photos, videos and recordings inside. Most of it is free, but the free version carries ads and it's phones and tablets only. The App Store lists three yearly and three permanent prices up to $49.99 without saying how they differ.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | Premium is $2.99 a month, and the yearly entries run $16.99 to $23.99, which is $1.42 to $2 a month and inside the cheapest quarter for journaling apps here. The muddle: three yearly and three permanent prices up to $49.99, with nothing to say how they differ, and what they unlock is mostly themes. |
| Free plan and trial | B | BetterApp Tech says most features are free, the lock, photo entries, mood tracking and tags included. The price is advertising, which both app stores flag, and some themes and backgrounds stay locked. |
| Features | C | The basics of a diary: a passcode lock, entries with photos, videos, recordings and drawings, a mood calendar with statistics, tags and themes. The gap is on its own listing. Drive and Dropbox sync and TXT or PDF export are described for the app in general, but the iPhone listing mentions neither. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.7 from about 28,200 App Store ratings, right on the bar. It's a diary: open it, write, pick a mood, add a sticker if you fancy. The vendor does suggest setting a security question with your passcode, in case you forget it. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Phones and tablets only: Android, iPhone and iPad, with no web or desktop version listed. The vendor's page describes syncing through Google Drive or Dropbox, and that's as far as its connections go. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who My Diary is for
- Fits if you want a diary you can decorate with themes, stickers and fonts
- Works for a locked diary that holds photos, videos and recordings
Who it is not for
- Not for you if ads in a diary would bother you, as the free version carries them
- Skip it if you want to write on a computer, as there's no web or desktop version
- Skip it if you must have sync or export on an iPhone, as its App Store listing mentions neither
- Pricey if you want every theme, as some themes and backgrounds need Premium at $2.99 a month
- Watch out: the App Store lists three yearly and three permanent prices with nothing to say how they differ
Good to know
Good for
- People who want a decorated diary with themes, stickers and fonts
- Keeping a locked diary with photos, videos and recordings
- Tracking mood alongside entries in a calendar
Worth knowing
- Both app stores label the app as containing advertising, and some themes and backgrounds require Premium.
- Phone and tablet only: no web or desktop version is listed.
- The vendor's site shows no prices, and the App Store lists several yearly and permanent purchases at different prices without explaining them.
- Google Drive and Dropbox sync and TXT or PDF export are described for the app in general; the App Store listing for iPhone and iPad does not mention them.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$2.99
A month to start. There is a free plan too
My Diary has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.99 per month (US App Store in-app purchase).
BetterApp Tech says most features are free, the lock, photo entries, mood tracking and tags included.
Free
$0
Diary entries with photos, a passcode lock, mood tracking and tags. Shows advertising, and some themes and backgrounds are locked.
Diary VIP (Month)
$2.99
per month
Premium membership billed monthly, which unlocks the additional themes, backgrounds and other Premium extras.
Premium Yearly
$16.99 to $23.99
per year
The US App Store lists three yearly entries: Diary Subscription Yearly $16.99, My Diary Premium Yearly $19.99 and My Diary Yearly VIP $23.99.
Permanent VIP
$29.99 to $49.99
one-time purchase
Three permanent entries are listed at $29.99, $39.99 and $49.99. The listing does not explain how they differ.
The free plan
Free with ads: the vendor says most features are free, including the lock, photo entries, mood tracking and tags. Some themes and backgrounds need a Premium membership.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Lifetime license
Permanent VIP as a one-time purchase
The US App Store lists Permanent VIP in-app purchases at $29.99, $39.99 and $49.99 as alternatives to the monthly and yearly memberships.
Stated on apps.apple.comAnnual discount
Yearly membership costs less than twelve months
The US App Store lists the monthly membership at $2.99 and yearly entries at $16.99 to $23.99, against $35.88 for twelve monthly payments.
Stated on apps.apple.com
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Diary VIP ( Month )”, against $2.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺49,99 | $1.02 | 66% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 99.00 | $1.58 | 47% less |
| Brazil | R$ 9,90 | $1.98 | 34% less |
| India | ₹ 199 | $2.06 | 31% less |
| Canada | $3.99 | $2.80 | 6% less |
| Germany | 2,99 € | $3.35 | 12% more |
| Australia | $4.99 | $3.48 | 17% more |
| United Kingdom | £2.99 | $3.95 | 32% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: iOS and Android
Locked diary with themes, stickers and a mood calendar. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: one-time purchase, daily notes, mood tracking.
Drive and Dropbox sync and TXT or PDF export are described for the app in general, but the iPhone listing mentions neither.
- Diary lock
- A passcode locks the app, with fingerprint unlock on supported devices. The vendor recommends setting a security question in case the password is forgotten.
- Photo, video and audio entries
- Entries can hold pictures, videos, recordings and drawings as well as rich text, and a media view shows all the photos in the journal.
- Themes, backgrounds and stickers
- Illustrated themes, a dark theme, entry backgrounds, stickers, emoji and font effects decorate the diary. Some themes and backgrounds are Premium only.
- Mood tracker
- Pick a mood symbol when writing an entry, then review moods in a mood calendar and see trends in statistics.
- Tags
- Tags sort entries into categories such as travel, work or daily notes, so you can view all the entries of one type together.
- Sync and export
- The vendor's product page describes syncing the diary to Google Drive or Dropbox for use on other devices, and exporting entries to TXT or PDF or printing them.
Where it runs
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
My Diary is made by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/35
Other journaling apps it is graded above
My Diary's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on ease of use (A, above 19 of 35) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $2.99 a month, against a middle price of $3.66 for the category: 7 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 36 journaling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. My Diary’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 22 of 35
- BFree plan and trialAbove 21 of 35
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 35
- AEase of useAbove 19 of 35
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 35
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 journaling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. My Diary is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
You could make this
A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos.
What My Diary does at its core is daily notes and mood tracking, and that is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well. You would give up one thing, listed below, and little else. It costs $35.88 a year. An AI app builder starts at about $19 a month on our listings, and you only need it while you build.
What you could make
- Daily notes and mood tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
What this rests on. My Diary’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Diaro, Daybook, Daylio, Journey and DailyBean
The 5 tools My Diary is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Diaro
Free plan · from $8.99/yr
Diary and notes app that syncs through your own Dropbox.
- Only Diaro lists a web app.
- My Diary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.6GPA
Daybook
Free plan · from $3.49/mo
Cloud-synced diary with guided journals and voice entry.
- Only Daybook lists a web app.
- My Diary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Daybook also covers dictation and templates.
- 2.4GPA
Daylio
Free plan · from $4.99
Mood tracker and micro-diary you fill in with a couple of taps.
- My Diary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Daylio also covers templates, habit tracking and goals.
- 2.8GPA
Journey
Free plan · from $17.99 one-time
Cross-platform diary with maps, mood tracking and guided programs.
- Only Journey lists a web app.
- Only Journey lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- My Diary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
DailyBean
Free plan · from $3.99/mo
Tap-based mood diary that logs a day with icons instead of writing.
- My Diary can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- DailyBean also covers habit tracking.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is My Diary free?
My Diary has a free plan. Free with ads: the vendor says most features are free, including the lock, photo entries, mood tracking and tags.
How much does My Diary cost?
My Diary lists 4 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does My Diary work on?
My Diary is available on iOS and Android.
Does My Diary offer any discounts?
My Diary publicly lists the following: Permanent VIP as a one-time purchase; Yearly membership costs less than twelve months.
How is My Diary rated?
My Diary's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 28,229 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
Does My Diary have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. My Diary is listed for iOS and Android.
Does My Diary have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. My Diary is listed for iOS and Android.
Is My Diary open source?
My Diary is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.
What does My Diary integrate with?
My Diary's listing names Google Drive and Dropbox. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes My Diary?
My Diary is made by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited.
What are the alternatives to My Diary?
The closest alternatives to My Diary in our directory are Diaro, Daybook, Daylio, Journey and DailyBean.
How does My Diary compare with other journaling apps?
My Diary's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 9.
Is My Diary good value for money?
ToolGPA grades My Diary B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $2.99 a month, against a middle price of $3.66 for the category: 7 of the 21 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of My Diary?
A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos. What My Diary does at its core is daily notes and mood tracking, and that is the kind of thing an AI app builder makes well.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from My Diary’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from My Diary's own pages on 6 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-09-29.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited. Prices change, so check betterapptech.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- My Diary, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/my-diary
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "My Diary: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/my-diary
Know someone choosing between journaling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/my-diary/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded journaling apps after My Diary, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Journaling Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 36 journaling apps we grade, compared
- Apple Journal Insider's GuideApple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac3.2 GPA
- Day One Insider's GuideEncrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices3.2 GPA
- Diarium Insider's GuidePrivate journal with a one-time Pro purchase and your own cloud sync3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what My Diary’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. My Diary is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited. Prices and plans change: check betterapptech.com before you buy.