DailyTxT vs Penzu
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Penzu
Private online journal for the browser, with iOS and Android apps
Where they differ
- DailyTxT is free. Penzu starts at $19.99 per year, or $4.99 per month.
- Only Penzu lists iOS and Android apps.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Penzu can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- DailyTxT also covers Markdown and templates.
- Penzu also covers long-form writing.
At a glance
| DailyTxT | Penzu | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $19.99 per year, or $4.99 per month |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the MIT license. You run it on your own server with Docker; there is no paid hosted service, and the author accepts donations through Buy Me a Coffee. | Basic plan: unlimited entries, the mobile apps, basic journal covers and fonts, and simple writing reminders. No credit card is required. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | PhiTux | Penzu Inc. |
| Price read from | github.com | penzu.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
DailyTxT
- Self-hosters who want a private diary on their own server
- Households sharing one instance with separately encrypted accounts
- People who write in Markdown and attach photos or files to each day
Penzu
- People who mostly write at a computer in a web browser
- Writers who want unlimited entries on a free plan
- Keeping several journals, each with its own cover and lock
Worth knowing
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.
Penzu
- There is no desktop app: on a computer Penzu runs in a web browser, with apps for iOS and Android only.
- Encryption locking, entry tagging, PDF export and writing prompts require Penzu Pro.
- Versions with entry recovery and the fullscreen zen-mode are limited to Pro+.
- The App Store listing shows English as the only supported language.
Key features
DailyTxT
- Encryption on the server
- Entries and files are encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305 before they reach storage, using a per-user key unlocked by a key derived from the password. The admin cannot read them.
- Markdown editor
- Entries are written in Markdown with a live preview and saved automatically. A read mode shows a month's entries without the editor.
- File uploads and image viewer
- Any file can be attached to a day, up to 500 MB each, and is stored encrypted. Images are recognized and shown in a gallery with a full-screen view.
- Tags, search and templates
- Entries take tags, search covers any word, tag or file name, and custom templates can be created, including a default template.
- Map and GPX tracks
- Locations can be pinned to each day and viewed on a map. The map also shows GPX files when they are available.
- Multi-user, admin panel and export
- One instance holds several accounts, each with its own encryption key. An admin panel manages users and registration, and entries export to HTML with their files.
Penzu
- Unlimited entries with autosave
- Every plan, including the free one, allows unlimited entries, and Penzu saves as you type on a computer or in the mobile apps.
- Custom journals
- Each journal and entry can have its own cover, background and fonts. Basic includes a basic set; Pro adds custom covers, fonts and colors.
- Locks and encryption
- Journals and entries can be locked with a password, and the mobile app with a PIN. Encryption locking is a Pro feature, and Pro+ lists military grade encryption locking.
- Reminders and look-backs
- Daily, weekly or custom reminders prompt you to write, and Penzu emails links to past entries so you can reread them later.
- Tags, search and prompts
- Journals can be searched to find past entries. Entry tagging and writing prompts are part of Penzu Pro.
- Penzu Post, PDF export and versions
- Pro adds writing to a journal by email (Penzu Post) and PDF export. Pro+ adds versions and entry recovery plus a fullscreen zen-mode.
Plans
DailyTxT
Self-hosted$0
The complete web app as a Docker image for AMD64 and ARM64, with multiple user accounts on your own server.
Penzu
Basic$0
Unlimited entries, mobile apps, basic journal covers and fonts, and simple writing reminders.
Penzu Pro$19.99
per year, or $4.99 per month
Adds encryption locking, custom covers, fonts and colors, entry tagging, PDF export, writing prompts and writing by email (Penzu Post).
Penzu Pro+$49.99
per year, or $9.99 per month
Everything in Pro, plus premium handwritten fonts, fullscreen zen-mode, versions and entry recovery, and premium support.
Penzu Pro+ Lifetime$199.99
one-time payment
Everything in Pro+ for a single payment with no renewal, plus 24-hour support.
Ways to pay less
DailyTxT
No public discounts listed.
Penzu
- Annual discount
Up to 66% off with yearly billing
Penzu's Pro page labels yearly billing as 66% cheaper: Pro is $19.99 a year against $4.99 a month, and Pro+ is $49.99 a year against $9.99 a month.
- Lifetime license
Penzu Pro+ Lifetime for $199.99
A one-time payment of $199.99 buys the Pro+ feature set with no renewal, as listed on Penzu's Pro page.
