Day One
Day One: A broad, privacy-focused journal with a strong free tier and richer paid features. Ranked #1 of 35 in Journal Apps by our editors (9.4/10); pricing: Free plan · 30-day trial; best for most people wanting a full-featured journal.
At a glance
- Editor score9.4 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 30-day trial
- Best forMost people wanting a full-featured journal
- Free planYes
- Paid from$49.99/yr
- Media attachmentsYes
- Founded2011
- Facts checked20 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- End-to-end encryption, passcode protection, and biometric lock
- Works across web, desktop, mobile, and browser extensions
- Supports rich media, offline editing, search, filters, and exports
Where it doesn't
- Cross-device journaling is limited to the Silver plan and above
- Unlimited photos and videos require a paid plan
- AI reflection tools are limited to the Gold plan
Our verdict on Day One
Day One is a digital journaling app for recording thoughts, memories, and daily experiences. It supports text entries alongside photos, video, audio, drawings, documents, location context, prompts, reminders, and streaks. Its platform coverage includes web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and a Chrome extension. People who want a private journal with rich media, offline entry creation, search, and multiple ways to revisit entries will find broad coverage here. The Basic plan includes unlimited entries and journals, one photo per entry, end-to-end encryption, search, and filters at $0 per year.
The paid plans mainly expand media, synchronization, integrations, and AI features. Silver costs $49.99 per year and adds unlimited photos and videos, audio recordings and transcription, cross-device journaling, Strava, Zapier, and IFTTT integrations, plus PDF embedding and scanning. Gold costs $74.99 per year and includes everything in Silver, along with Daily Chat, entry summaries, Go Deeper prompts, and AI image generation. A one-month trial is available to eligible new subscribers, with eligibility controlled by the app stores. The plan structure makes Basic suitable for text-first journaling, while Silver is the more relevant tier for media-heavy or multi-device use.
Day One also gives entries several ways to be organized and revisited, including tags, filters, calendar, map, and media views. Offline entry creation and editing support journaling without an active connection, while exports can include PDF, JSON, plain text or Markdown, and CSV depending on the platform. Passcode protection, biometric lock, and end-to-end encryption suit private personal writing. Choose Day One if you want one journal spanning major platforms with attachments, privacy controls, and optional AI reflection tools. Choose another app if you need cross-device journaling, unlimited media, or AI features without moving beyond the free plan.
Your product? Our editors can test Day One in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Day One pricing
All 3 Day One plans and prices →
Day One fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $49.99/yr |
| Media attachments | Yes |
| Offline access | Yes |
| Privacy lock | Yes |
| End-to-end encryption | Yes |
| Export formats | Multiple |
| Platform coverage | All |
| Search and filters | Yes |
| Free trial | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud, Desktop, Mobile, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome extension |
| Compliance & security | 2FA |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 3 integrations: Strava, Zapier, IFTTT |
| Pricing | Free plan · 30-day trial (source) |
| Website | dayoneapp.com |
| Facts checked | 20 Sep 2026 |
Day One integrations
Day One lists 3 integrations on its own site.
- Strava
- Zapier
- IFTTT
Alternatives to Day One
- DiariumDiarium combines rich journaling, contextual views, offline access and flexible storage options.9.2
- JourneyA flexible journal for private memories across desktop, mobile, and web.9.1
- Apple JournalA polished free journal with rich attachments, privacy controls and Apple ecosystem integration.9.0
See all Day One alternatives →
Day One vs the competition
- Day One vs Diarium
- Day One vs Journey
- Day One vs Apple Journal
- Day One vs Diarly
- Day One vs Lugelo
- Day One vs Stoic
Compare Day One with any tool side by side →
Also Ranked In
Day One is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Day One for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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