Clearful vs Sanity & Self (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Clearful grades higher than Sanity & Self: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Clearful grades higher on the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Clearful
Guided journal with 400+ prompts and templates on every device
Sanity & Self
Guided audio self-care app for women, with expert chat
Which one is for you
Pick Clearful if
- Fits if a blank page stops you and you'd rather answer a prompt
- Works for journaling on your phone, your Mac and in a browser with one account
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want photos in your entries without paying, as they need Pro
- Not for you if you're bringing years of entries from Day One, as there's no bulk import
- Pricey if you pay monthly, at $9.99 against $59.99 for the year
- Tight if you stay free on more than two devices, as free connects only two
- Watch out: the site lists no prices, and the in-app list also shows $14.99 monthly and $89.99 yearly entries
Pick Sanity & Self if
- Fits if you want guided audio sessions for stress, sleep and self-esteem
- Works for women who want a community tab alongside the sessions
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a diary for your own entries, since journaling here is guided sessions
- Tight if you stay free, because most of the library is Premium
- Skip it if you need a price list first, as none could be read
- Watch out: Chat 1:1 is a separate payment and runs on iOS only
- Watch out: the vendor's FAQ is the only pricing page
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAClearfulGood | 2.0GPASanity & SelfFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPro is $59.99 a year, which is $5 a month, sitting between the middle and the dear end for journaling here, and $9.99 if you pay monthly. Clearful's own site lists no prices, and the in-app list muddies it further with $14.99 monthly and $89.99 yearly entries. | CThe FAQ says the annual plan averages about $5 a month, between the $4.17 middle and the $5.75 where the dearer quarter of journaling apps starts. No price list was found. |
| Free plan and trial | BFree forever, with unlimited text entries, the prompts and templates, streaks, reminders and text or PDF export, and no ads. But it stops at two connected devices, and you can't put a single photo in an entry. Pro has a seven-day trial. | CThe app is free to download with some content, and annual plans from the App Store start with a 7-day trial, but most sessions need Premium. |
| Features | CMore than 400 guided journals, a daily question, a formatting editor with 14+ options and Rediscover, which brings entries back from 1 month to 3 years ago. The gaps are in its own help pages: no bulk import from Day One or CSV, audio journaling still coming soon, English only, and photos need Pro. | DIt is an audio library and journaling is one session type. It has no diary of your own entries, so you need another product for that. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 3,100 App Store ratings. Pick a guided journal or answer the day's question and you're writing. One account keeps your phone, your Mac and your browser in step. | BInstall and press play, with nothing to set up, though no store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | BiPhone, iPad, Mac, Android and a web app, all synced by one account. But no integrations or API are listed, and you can't bulk-import an old journal. The interface is English only. | CiPhone and Android only, with Chat 1:1 on iOS only, no web or computer app and no integrations. |
| Best for | guided prompts when you don't know what to write | guided audio sessions for self-care |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Clearful and Sanity & Self. How we grade
Where they differ
- Clearful also covers daily notes and templates.
- Sanity & Self also covers community.
At a glance
| Clearful | Sanity & Self | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $9.99 per month, or $59.99 per year (US App Store description) | Not published |
| Free plan | Free forever with unlimited text entries, prompts, streaks, reminders and export, on up to two connected devices. Photos, AI Reviews, themes and custom templates need Pro. | Free to download and explore some content; Premium unlocks all sessions. |
| Free trial | Seven-day Clearful Pro trial on eligible purchase flows, generally limited to one claim. | Annual Premium memberships bought through the App Store start with a free 7-day trial. |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Clearful Journal Inc. | Moov, Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Clearful
- Photos in entries, AI Reviews, custom templates, themes and locked entries need Clearful Pro, and the free plan connects only two devices.
- There is no bulk import: the help center says no CSV, Day One or one-click migration tool exists.
- The interface is English only, and audio journaling with transcription is still marked as coming soon.
- The vendor's site lists no prices. The App Store description gives $9.99 a month or $59.99 a year, while its in-app list also shows $14.99 and $89.99.
Sanity & Self
- Pricing could not be read: the FAQ only says the annual plan averages $5 per month and no price list or App Store listing was found.
- It is mostly an audio self-care library; journaling is one session type, not a diary tool with entries of your own.
- Chat 1:1 is a separate payment from Premium and runs on iOS only.
- Most of the library needs a paid Premium membership.
Key features
Clearful
- Guided journals library
- More than 400 guided journals, prompts and templates cover topics from gratitude to work decisions, with a Discover Daily question each day. Some guided journals are reserved for Pro.
- Flow Editor
- A rich-text editor with 14+ formatting options, including headings, bulleted and numbered lists, checklists, quotes, dividers, links and text styles.
- Rediscover
- Past entries resurface from set points such as 1 month, 6 months, 1 year and 3 years ago, so you can look back at how things have changed.
- AI-Enhanced Reviews
- Weekly, monthly, quarterly, bi-yearly and yearly reviews use AI to summarize themes, moments and patterns from your own entries. AI Reviews are a Pro benefit.
- Privacy controls
- The vendor says entries are encrypted on the device, in transit and at rest. Face ID or Touch ID locks the app, a device manager revokes sign-ins, and Pro adds a lock for single entries.
- Sync across devices
- One account syncs the journal between iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android and the web app. The free plan supports up to two connected devices and Pro removes the limit.
Sanity & Self
- Guided audio sessions
- Over 900 sessions of 2 to 45 minutes in series, on mindfulness, healing, relationships, sleep, breathing and more.
- Reflective journaling sessions
- The FAQ lists journaling and morning or evening rituals among the session types; some need materials noted on the session page.
- Community tab
- An in-app community where members ask for advice and share support.
- Chat 1:1
- A separate service to text or video chat with coaches and licensed therapists; it is paid separately and available on iOS only.
- Offline downloads
- Premium subscribers can download sessions to listen to without a connection.
Plans
Clearful
Free$0
Unlimited entries, the rich-text editor, prompts and templates, Rediscover, streaks, reminders and text or PDF export, on up to two connected devices.
Clearful Pro (monthly)$9.99
per month
Photos in entries, Pro guided journals, unlimited devices, AI Reviews, personal templates, locked entries, analytics and themes. The in-app list also shows a $14.99 monthly entry.
Clearful Pro (annual)$59.99
per year
The same Pro benefits billed annually. The US App Store in-app purchase list also shows a yearly entry at $89.99.
Sanity & Self
Pricing could not be confirmed. See sanityandself.com.
Ways to pay less
Clearful
- Annual discount
Annual billing costs about half of monthly
The US App Store description gives Clearful Pro as $9.99 billed monthly or $59.99 billed annually. Twelve monthly payments come to $119.88, so the annual plan saves about 50%.
Sanity & Self
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Clearful or Sanity & Self?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Clearful starts at $9.99 per month, or $59.99 per year (US App Store description), and Sanity & Self has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Clearful or Sanity & Self?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Clearful and Sanity & Self have a free plan.
Which platforms do Clearful and Sanity & Self run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Clearful lists a web app and a macOS app. Both list iOS and Android apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.