Since you’re already carrying your phone with you everywhere like a digital appendage, you might as well use it for journaling. It’s always at hand, can capture photos, videos, and voice notes as well as text, and is able to log locations, trips and more. Its new AI tools can even draft a few entries automatically for you.
What’s more, your phone probably now comes with a journal app preinstalled: Apple’s Journal app launched in 2023, and a brand new Journal app from Google, initially exclusive to the Pixel 10, is now available on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9 too (apparently because these phones also have Gemini Nano on board). Plus, a wide selection of third-party options is available on the Android and iOS app stores.
In recent days, in an attempt to determine whether or not journaling on my phone might be for me, I’ve tested out both the Apple and Google offerings, as well as some of the best third-party alternatives. Here’s what I found, and which apps I’d recommend if you want to log your thoughts and feelings on your phone.
The built-in options
Journal by Apple
Let’s start with Journal by Apple, launched in December 2023. It’s fair to say there haven’t been a ton of updates released for the app since then, but all of the essentials are covered: Your journal entries can combine text, photos, videos, audio, locations, and sketches, and you can even set up multiple journals for different purposes.
I do like the way this app makes suggestions for journaling, particularly in terms of recent locations and photos—it means it’s easier to get started or to jump back in after a while. There are also a good number of options for what you can attach to your journal entries, and I can see myself using the mood slider a lot.
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Journal by Google
As for the Journal app that Google recently launched for Android, it is limited to those with a phone from the Pixel 8, Pixel 9, and Pixel 10 series. It’s also pretty bare bones: I was able to log text, photos, videos, and places, as well as fitness data collected through Health Connect, but there’s nothing here for audio or moods.
In addition, the interface is rather plain—much more spartan than the Apple equivalent. You do get a neat overview of all your posts, but it’s not particularly inspiring, and you can’t configure multiple journals. In addition, the AI-powered prompts for what to write about remain exclusive to Pixel 10 handsets, so you have to do without these on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 9.
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Neither of these are bad apps; each will do the job of getting down your thoughts in a digital format, with some useful extras attached. The biggest benefits are they’re both well integrated into their respective operating systems, and you don’t need new accounts to use them. Apple’s journal app is certainly better than Google’s at the moment, though it’s had a two-year head start.
If you just want something quick and simple that’s made by the company that made your phone (and that may well come preinstalled on your phone), then they’re fine. However, these two journal apps remain rather bare bones compared to the other options, as well as keeping you locked in on either Android or iOS. That’s why, if you’re serious about your journaling, I think it’s worth exploring a third-party app installed.
The best third-party journal apps
Day One
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Outside of Google and Apple, Day One (Android and iOS) has long been one of the best journaling apps around—and you can take it with you if you ever jump between the Apple and Google platforms. It’s been around since 2011 and is stacked with features, including multiple view types, prompts, tags, summaries, recaps, and a gorgeous design that looks great on every device.
Your entries can include all the usual features, plus weather details, playlists, health data, social media posts, and more. You get a lot for free, but there is also a premium plan available for $50 a year. It gives you support for unlimited images, videos, and audio, plus extras like the ability to create journal entries over email.
5 Minute Journal
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As someone just dipping a toe into the world of journaling, 5 Minute Journal (Android and iOS) appeals right from the name. The idea is you don’t have to spend too long jotting down your thoughts and ideas each day, and the app is geared towards getting you to record the more positive aspects of your life, boosting mindfulness and well-being.
I like the writing prompts and journaling reminders this app provides to keep you motivated, as well as the really simple way you can log your mood as you go. It’s also a beautifully designed and organized app—a completely different aesthetic experience than a more utilitarian option like Google Journal. However, some features (including unlimited photos and videos) requires a premium subscription, which starts at $5 a month.
Rosebud Journal
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One more recommendation from my own experience: Rosebud (Android and iOS). It’s branded as “AI-powered” but thankfully you don’t have to worry too much about that, and it does a really nice job of summarizing and tracking your thoughts over time, as well as encouraging you to jot stuff down in the here and now.
The app does quite a bit of hand-holding and prompting, but that’s perfect if you’re just getting started or struggling to journal each day, and you can always just jot down standard journal entries with text and images if you prefer. As you might have guessed given the other options on my list, there is a pro-level subscription for $13 a month that gives you a lot more insights in terms of past entries, trends, and emotional patterns and triggers, if an AI’s summary of your life is interesting to you.
The best journal app is the one you use
One of the benefits of there being so many journal apps out there is that there really is something for everyone, so there’s no harm in testing out Google and Apple’s offerings first—they are, after all, completely free. But for journaling apps that really invest in user design and features, there are much better options out there. Now I just need to pick the one I’m going to stick with, because in the end, the best journal app is the one that you use consistently.