6 Best Journaling Apps in January 2024 (Free + Paid)

There are a lot of journaling apps selling snake oil, a few that are worth trying, and fewer worth buying. Below, we’ll go over the best journaling apps in the app store (as of January 2024).

Best Free Journaling Apps

1. Notion

Notion is a versatile all-in-one workspace that can be used for various purposes. Here are a few of the top features Notion has for journaling:

Notion Journaling Features:

1. Customizable Templates: Notion offers customizable templates for journaling, allowing users to create personalized layouts for daily, weekly, or monthly entries. Users can design their own templates or use pre-built ones available in the Notion community. (Quick note: you would probably have to pay for most pre-made templates, but they’re not necessary to use the app!)
2. Multimedia Integration: It supports text, images, videos, links, tables, files, and more within entries. This multimedia integration allows for a more comprehensive and expressive journaling experience than you’ll get with pen and paper alone!
3. Database Capabilities: Notion’s database feature enables users to organize journal entries systematically. Users can create linked databases, filter information, and categorize entries based on tags, dates, or themes.
4. Collaboration: Notion allows for collaboration, making it possible for partners or friends to share a journaling space. Collaborators can add entries, comment, and edit together in real-time.
5. Flexibility and Customization: Users have the freedom to design their journaling space according to their preferences. They can add headers, bullet points, toggle lists, calendars, and more to structure their entries.

2. Notes App (iPhone)

Apple Notes is a built-in app available on Apple devices that, while not as feature-rich as some third-party applications, can still serve as a functional tool for journaling. While it is technically a free app, it does require you to own an iPhone. It’s not the most ideal of the options on this list, but will work in a pinch.

💡 Tip: If you have a compatible Apple Pencil, you can jot down your notes directly within the Notes app. This simulates the feeling of writing on paper. This feature is especially beneficial for individuals who enjoy the tactile experience of handwriting rather than typing.

Here are some top journaling features of the Notes app:

1. Text-based Entries: Apple Notes allows users to create text-based entries with their phone, bluetooth keyboard, or Apple Pencil.
2. Rich Formatting Options: It offers basic text formatting options such as bold, italics, bullet points, headers, and numbering. This enables users to structure their entries in a visually appealing way.
3. Multimedia Integration: Users can embed images, sketches, and scanned documents into their notes, allowing for a mix of text and visual content in journal entries.
4. Organization: Notes can be organized into folders and subfolders. This is nice because it enables users to categorize and sort their journal entries based on different themes or timeframes.
5. Sync Across Devices: Apple Notes syncs seamlessly across all Apple devices through iCloud. This allows users to access their journal entries from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and even the web version.

3. Microsoft Word:

Journaling Features:

1. Text Formatting: Word offers extensive text formatting options, allowing users to customize fonts, styles, sizes, colors, and alignment, which can be helpful for creative journaling.
2. Templates: It provides numerous templates, including diary or journal templates, allowing users to start journaling with predefined layouts if desired.
3. Multimedia Insertion: Users can easily insert images, shapes, charts, and other multimedia elements into their documents.
4. Organization Tools: Word offers organization features such as headers, footers, page breaks, and the ability to create sections or chapters. It’s easy to make your entries look exactly how you want with this tool!

4. Google Docs:

Journaling Features:

1. Text Editing and Formatting: Google Docs provides basic text editing features. Similar to Word, it allows users to format text, add bullet points, headers, and styles for journal entries.
2. Integration with Google Services: It seamlessly integrates with other Google services like Google Drive. This is helpful because you can access your entries across different devices.
3. Version History: Google Docs automatically saves versions of documents. This allows users to access previous versions of an entry and track changes made over time (if any).
4. Comments: I like to use this feature to annotate my own journals when I look back at them. You could write your name, date, and whatever commentary you have on an old entry. This makes your journal become a conversation with yourself over the years.

Best Paid Journaling Apps

5. Day One

Day One is a comprehensive journaling app that offers numerous features designed to enhance the journaling experience. Some key journaling features of Day One include:

1. Multiple Entry Types: Users can create various types of entries, including text-based entries, photo entries, audio recordings, and tags.
2. Rich Text Formatting: It provides robust text formatting options, allowing users to format text with styles, headings, bullet points, and inline images.
3. Location and Weather Data: Day One automatically captures location and weather data for entries, providing context to moments captured in the journal. This is an extremely underrated feature!
4. Calendar View: It offers a calendar view that allows users to navigate and browse entries by date, providing an organized way to review past entries.
5. Custom Reminders: Users can set reminders to prompt them to write or add entries, ensuring consistency in journaling habits.
6. Activity Feed: Day One offers an activity feed that provides a timeline view of all entries, making it easy to track and review moments over time.
7. Multiple Journals: Users can create multiple journals within the app, allowing them to categorize entries based on different themes, topics, or aspects of life.
8. End-to-End Encryption: To ensure privacy and security, Day One offers end-to-end encryption for journal entries. This should provide some peace of mind for users concerned about confidentiality.
9. Sync Across Devices: It supports syncing across multiple devices, enabling seamless access to journal entries from iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
10. Integration with Other Apps: Day One integrates with various apps and services, allowing users to import content from social media, location check-ins, music streaming, and more, enriching journal entries with external data.

6. Diarium

Diarium is a popular journaling app available for Windows, Android, and iOS devices. Here are some key journaling features of Diarium:

1. Cross-Platform Availability: Diarium is available on multiple platforms. This allows users to access and sync their journal entries across Windows, Android, and iOS devices.
2. Versatile Entry Types: It supports various types of entries, including text entries, photos, audio recordings, drawings, tags, locations, weather, and mood tracking, providing diverse ways to document moments.
3. Customization Options: Diarium offers customization features for entries, allowing users to personalize their journal with different fonts, colors, backgrounds, and formatting styles.
4. Automatic Data Capture: The app automatically captures metadata such as location, weather, and date/time for entries, adding context to the journaling experience.
5. Advanced Search and Filters: It provides powerful search and filtering options, enabling users to quickly find specific entries using keywords, dates, tags, or other criteria.
6. Security and Privacy: Diarium offers password protection and the option for PIN/fingerprint authentication, ensuring privacy and security for sensitive journal content.
7. Exporting and Printing: Users can export their journal entries in various formats (PDF, DOCX, TXT, JSON) and print entries directly from the app for physical copies or backups.
8. Syncing and Backup: Diarium supports cloud syncing (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox) for easy backup and synchronization across devices, ensuring that entries are safely stored.
9. Multiple Journal Support: Users can create multiple journals or categories to organize entries based on different themes, topics, or aspects of life.
10. Integration with Services: Diarium allows integration with other apps and services, including social media platforms, to import content and memories into journal entries.

Conclusion

As of January 2024, these journaling apps offer diverse functionalities for various needs. Whether seeking free options like Notion or Apple Notes, or considering paid apps such as Day One and Diarium, each stands out with its own unique features. From multimedia integration to end-to-end encryption, these apps cater to different journaling needs. Once you’ve figured out which of these journaling apps is best for you, check out our ‘50 journaling prompts for adults‘ or ‘10 New Year Journaling Prompts for 2024‘ blogs to get started with writing!