Alternatives · Journaling
DailyTxT alternatives
DailyTxT compared with 5 alternatives: Daily You, RedNotebook, Journalistic, Penzu and Day One.
DailyTxT is free to use. All 5 alternatives are free or have a free plan.
5 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 6, 2026 · Where the facts come from
At a glance
| Tool | Price | Free plan | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| DailyTxTThis tool | Free | Free | Web |
| Daily You | Free | Free | Android |
| RedNotebook | Free | Free | Windows, Linux |
| Journalistic | Free | Free | Web |
| Penzu | Free plan · from $19.99/yr | Yes | Web, iOS, Android |
| Day One | Free plan · from $49.99/yr | Yes | Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension |
How each one differs from DailyTxT
- Free
Daily You
Free, open-source offline diary and mood tracker for Android
- Daily You is free. DailyTxT is free.
- Only Daily You lists an Android app.
- Only DailyTxT lists a web app.
- DailyTxT is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Daily You also covers mood tracking.
Suits: Android users who want a diary with no account, ads or subscription
- Free
RedNotebook
Free desktop diary that stores entries as plain text files
- RedNotebook is free. DailyTxT is free.
- Only RedNotebook lists Linux and Windows apps.
- Only DailyTxT lists a web app.
- DailyTxT is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- DailyTxT also covers Markdown.
Suits: Linux and Windows users who want a diary kept as plain text on their own disk
- Free
Journalistic
Micro journaling web app built around short bulleted entries
- Journalistic is free. DailyTxT is free.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Journalistic also covers notes and goals.
- DailyTxT also covers Markdown and templates.
Suits: People who want a few bullet points a day instead of long entries
- Free plan · from $19.99/yr
Penzu
Private online journal for the browser, with iOS and Android apps
- Penzu starts at $19.99 per year, or $4.99 per month. DailyTxT is free.
- Only Penzu lists iOS and Android apps.
- Penzu can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Penzu also covers long-form writing.
Suits: People who mostly write at a computer in a web browser
- Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Day One
Encrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices
- Day One starts at $49.99 per year. DailyTxT is free.
- Only Day One lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Day One lists a browser extension.
- Day One is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Suits: People who want one journal across Apple, Android, Windows and the web
Limits worth knowing in DailyTxT
- There is no hosted version beyond a live demo: you run it with Docker and look after TLS, updates and backups yourself.
- Encryption is done on the server, not end to end in the browser; the README says search would not work otherwise.
- There are no native mobile or desktop apps; phones use the responsive web app, which installs as a PWA.
- The author does not guarantee backward compatibility, and moving from version 1 means following the migration steps.
Common questions
What are the alternatives to DailyTxT?
The alternatives to DailyTxT in this directory are Daily You, RedNotebook, Journalistic, Penzu and Day One. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with DailyTxT.
Is there a free alternative to DailyTxT?
Yes. Daily You, RedNotebook and Journalistic are free to use. Penzu and Day One have a free plan alongside paid ones.
Which DailyTxT alternatives work on Windows?
The DailyTxT listing does not include a Windows app. RedNotebook and Day One list one.
Which DailyTxT alternatives work on macOS?
The DailyTxT listing does not include a macOS app. Day One lists one.
When were these prices checked?
Each listing shows its own date. On this page they run from Oct 5, 2026 to Oct 6, 2026. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.