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Apple Journal alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Apple Journal: apple devices only, and basic export options. We ranked 4 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Apple Journal, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Day One currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Day One logoDay OneFree plan + paidNoiOS, Android, macOS +26 of 666.5
2Stoic logoStoicFree plan + paidNoiOS, macOS, Web +14 of 462.6
3Journey logoJourneyFree plan + paidNoAndroid, iOS, macOS +45 of 559.6
  1. Day One logo

    1. Day OneTop pick

    Best for: People who want a rich, media-friendly journal that stays private and lasts for years

    Free plan + paidiOS, Android, macOS, Windows, Web

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apple Journal

    The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books.

    Pros

    • End-to-end encryption on every plan
    • Rich entries with photos, audio and automatic metadata
    • Apps on nearly every platform
    • Exports and printed books

    Cons

    • Free plan limited to one device and one photo per entry
    • Yearly subscription for sync
    • AI features may not appeal to private journalers
    Visit Day One Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Day One a good Apple Journal alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    Free plan
    Basic at $0/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Silver
    $49.99/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Gold
    $74.99/year
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes, all plans
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    1 month
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Automattic
    Checked Oct 25, 2026dayoneapp.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Stoic logo

    2. Stoic

    Best for: People who want short guided morning and evening reflections with mood tracking

    Free plan + paidiOS, macOS, Web, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apple Journal

    Guided prompts, mood tracking and breathing exercises on Apple devices and web.

    Pros

    • Guided prompts and templates make journaling easy
    • Mood tracking and breathing exercises built in
    • Calm, minimal design

    Cons

    • Full prompt library needs a subscription
    • Less suited to long free-form entries
    • Best experience is on Apple devices
    Visit Stoic Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Stoic a good Apple Journal alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Price
    Free to start
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getstoic.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Users
    3 million+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getstoic.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mood tracking
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getstoic.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Sync
    Apple devices and web
    Checked Oct 25, 2026getstoic.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Journey logo

    3. Journey

    Best for: People who journal across many devices and operating systems, including Linux

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableAndroid, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux, Web, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Apple Journal

    Works on Android, Windows and Linux too if you leave Apple.

    Pros

    • Runs on nearly every platform, including Linux and Chrome OS
    • End-to-end encrypted sync
    • Self-hosted sync option via Docker
    • Exports to PDF, DOCX and ePUB

    Cons

    • Most features need a paid membership
    • Busy interface with many add-ons
    • Self-hosting is still early
    Visit Journey Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Journey a good Apple Journal alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Platforms
    Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, Web, Chrome OS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026journey.cloud(opens source in a new tab)
    Linux app
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026journey.cloud(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026journey.cloud(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Docker image for sync
    Checked Oct 25, 2026journey.cloud(opens source in a new tab)
    Export
    ePUB and DOCX
    Checked Oct 25, 2026journey.cloud(opens source in a new tab)

The best Apple Journal alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Day One logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for most people

Day One

The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books.

Stoic logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Stoic

Guided prompts, mood tracking and breathing exercises on Apple devices and web.

Journey logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for self-hosting

Journey

Works on Android, Windows and Linux too if you leave Apple.

Day One logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for Mac

Day One

The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books.

Day One logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for Windows

Day One

The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books.

Journey logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for Linux

Journey

Works on Android, Windows and Linux too if you leave Apple.

Daylio logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for iPhone and Android

Daylio

Quick mood and activity logging with detailed statistics.

Day One logo

Best Apple Journal alternative for working in the browser

Day One

The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books.

Apple Journal alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Apple Journal?

Day One ranks first right now. The deeper, cross-platform option with end-to-end encryption and printed books. Stoic and Journey follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Apple Journal?

Yes. Day One (free plan + paid), Stoic (free plan + paid), Journey (free plan + paid) and Daylio (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Apple Journal?

None of the 4 alternatives in this list is open source.

Which Apple Journal alternatives work on Linux?

Journey runs on Linux.

Why do people switch from Apple Journal?

The complaints we hear most: apple devices only; basic export options; fewer templates and statistics than dedicated apps.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Apple Journal, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.