Apple Journal vs Cozy

Apple Journal9.0Visit Cozy8.6Visit

Higher score Apple Journal #4 in Journal Apps 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Apple Journal

vs

Cozy #8 in Journal Apps 8.6/10 Paid ✓ 3 of 5 features Visit Cozy

• Apple Journal fits best

  Apple users wanting a polished free journal

• Cozy fits best

  Local Markdown journaling with offline control

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Side by side

Feature	Apple Journal 9.0/10 Visit ↗	Cozy 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.0	8.6
Ranking	#4 in Journal Apps	#8 in Journal Apps
Best for	Apple users wanting a polished free journal	Local Markdown journaling with offline control
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	$19.99 one-time
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Desktop, Mobile	Desktop, Mobile
Platforms	iOS, macOS	Windows, macOS, iOS
Support	Phone, Live chat, Docs	Email, Docs
Integrations	5 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Solo	Solo, Small business
Features Apple Journal 4/5 · Cozy 3/5
Media attachments	✓	✓
Offline access	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Privacy lock	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
End-to-end encryption	✓ (best)	—
Search and filters	✓	✓
Specs
Export formats	Multiple	Basic
Platform coverage	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Rich attachments for photos, video, audio, locations, drawings and music Search, calendar, Places views, filters and multiple journals Passcode, biometric and Mac password locks with iCloud sync	Stores entries as plain Markdown files in a folder you choose Supports media, trackers, calendar and map views, search, and filters Works offline and connects with major folder-sync services
Cons	Availability centers on iPhone, iPad and Mac Apple ecosystem integrations may limit cross-platform flexibility Export is limited to ZIP files and PDFs, plus printing	No free plan; the desktop license costs $35 one time Privacy locking and end-to-end encryption are not part of its positioning Some mobile pricing and availability are described as beta or transition pricing
Our verdict	Apple Journal is a free personal journaling app for recording everyday experiences and special events. It supports text entries, writing prompts and journaling suggestions, while allowing users to add photos, videos, audio recordings,… Read the review →	Cozy is a journal app for macOS, Windows, iPhone, and iPad that stores entries as plain Markdown files in a user-selected folder instead of on Cozy’s servers. It is aimed at people who want local control over their journal while still… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Apple Journal — where it wins

  • Rich attachments for photos, video, audio, locations, drawings and music
  • Search, calendar, Places views, filters and multiple journals
  • Passcode, biometric and Mac password locks with iCloud sync

  Where it doesn't

  • Availability centers on iPhone, iPad and Mac
  • Apple ecosystem integrations may limit cross-platform flexibility
  • Export is limited to ZIP files and PDFs, plus printing

• Cozy — where it wins

  • Stores entries as plain Markdown files in a folder you choose
  • Supports media, trackers, calendar and map views, search, and filters
  • Works offline and connects with major folder-sync services

  Where it doesn't

  • No free plan; the desktop license costs $35 one time
  • Privacy locking and end-to-end encryption are not part of its positioning
  • Some mobile pricing and availability are described as beta or transition pricing

• Apple Journal9.0/10 · Free plan

  A polished free journal with rich attachments, privacy controls and Apple ecosystem integration.

  Visit Apple JournalFull verdict →
• Cozy8.6/10 · Paid

  A flexible offline journal for users who want their entries stored as local Markdown files.

  Visit CozyFull verdict →