Daybook vs Diaro
We give Daybook a 3.6 GPA and Diaro a 3.4, out of 4.0. Daybook grades higher on the free plan and platforms. Diaro grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Daybook
Cloud-synced diary with guided journals and voice entry
Diaro
Diary and notes app that syncs through your own Dropbox
How we grade them
| 3.6GPADaybookExcellent | 3.4GPADiaroVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $3.49 a month or $39.99 a year on Daybook's website, a little under typical for a journaling app. It adds mood analytics, AI features, custom templates and themes. The US App Store disagrees, though, listing $4.49 a month, $29.99 a year or $94.99 once. | APro is $8.99 a year on the US App Store. That's far below what journaling apps usually charge, and it adds Dropbox sync, the web version, export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, and no ads. Oddly, the listing's own description says US$5.99 a year. A second Diaro PRO item is $39.99 with no term shown. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe free plan has unlimited entries, sync across devices and automatic cloud backup, which is what a lot of journals charge for. Most people could stay here. Mood analytics, AI, custom templates and the full set of guided journals are Pro. | BFree gives you unlimited entries, folders, tags, photos, mood tracking and a lock, which is a whole diary. But it carries ads and stays on one device. Sync, your entries in Diaro Online and file export all need Pro. |
| Features | BGuided journals for reflection, gratitude and mental health check-ins, a mood and activity tracker, dictation, AI summaries on Pro, a calendar, tags, a passcode lock and PDF export with layouts for printing. A good spread. But the App Store shows the iOS app's last update as November 2024. | BFolders, tags and automatic geotagging, keyword search with filters, a calendar, a mood on each entry, an atlas and an on-this-day view. Importers cover Day One, Journey, Evernote and Google Keep. Solid basics. But the iOS app's last update on the App Store was December 2023, which is a long gap. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from 899 App Store ratings. Your entries are on your phone and in the browser, and backup to the cloud is automatic. If typing puts you off, you can speak an entry. | A4.7 from about 4,500 App Store ratings. It's folders and tags, so if you've ever filed anything, you know how it works. The only setup comes with Pro, when you link your own Dropbox account for sync. |
| Platforms and integrations | AAndroid, iPhone, iPad and a web app, with voice access through Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Bixby, and a GPT in the ChatGPT store. No Mac or Windows app is listed, so on a computer it's the browser. | BAndroid, iPhone, iPad and a browser version, Diaro Online. But the only thing it connects to is Dropbox, which is how it syncs, and no API is listed. Reading your entries on the web needs Pro as well. |
| Best for | a free diary that syncs phone and browser | a cheap diary synced through your own Dropbox |
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: Daybook and Diaro. How we grade
Where they differ
- Daybook starts at $3.49 per month, or $39.99 per year. Diaro starts at $8.99 per year (US App Store in-app purchase).
- Daybook also covers dictation and templates.
At a glance
| Daybook | Diaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $3.49 per month, or $39.99 per year | $8.99 per year (US App Store in-app purchase) |
| Free plan | Free plan with unlimited entries, sync across devices and automatic cloud backup. Mood analytics, AI features, custom templates, themes and the full set of guided journals need Pro. | Free app with ads: unlimited entries, folders, tags, photos, mood tracking and a lock. Dropbox sync, Diaro Online access to your entries and file export need Pro. |
| Free trial | The App Store listing mentions a free trial before the subscription is charged; its length is not stated. | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Daybook Labs Inc | Pixel Crater Ltd. |
| Price read from | daybook.app | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Daybook
- People who want a free journal that syncs between phone and browser
- Dictating entries by voice or through a voice assistant
- Guided gratitude, mood and reflection journaling
Diaro
- People who want a simple diary organized by folders, tags and places
- Users who prefer synced entries to sit in their own Dropbox account
- Moving in from Day One, Journey or Evernote using the importers
Worth knowing
Daybook
- Vendor prices disagree: the website shows Pro at $3.49 a month or $39.99 a year, while the US App Store lists Premium at $4.49 a month, $29.99 a year or $94.99 once.
- Mood analytics, AI features, custom templates, themes, higher-resolution photos and the full set of guided journals need the paid tier.
- Entries are stored in Daybook's cloud and encrypted in transit; the site does not claim end-to-end encryption.
- No Mac or Windows app is listed, so desktop use is through the web app. The App Store shows the iOS app's last update as November 2024.
Diaro
- Sync between devices and Diaro Online runs through your own Dropbox account and is a Pro feature.
- The free version shows ads, and export to PDF, DOCX or TXT needs Pro.
- The App Store version history shows the iOS app was last updated in December 2023 (version 2.0.2).
- The vendor's site lists no prices. The App Store in-app list shows $8.99 for a year of Pro, while the listing's own description says US$5.99 a year.
Key features
Daybook
- Cloud sync across devices
- Entries and photos back up automatically to Daybook's cloud and sync between phone, tablet and the web app. Unlimited entries and sync are part of the free plan.
- Guided journals
- Structured journals cover nightly reflection, mental health check-ins and gratitude. Access to every guided journal is one of the paid unlocks.
- Mood and activity tracker
- Log daily moods and activities alongside entries. Mood analytics and word analysis of what you wrote are listed under Pro.
- Voice-to-text and voice assistants
- Entries can be dictated with speech-to-text, and the store listings describe voice features through Alexa and Google Assistant. A Daybook GPT is listed in the ChatGPT store.
- AI features
- AI summarizes entries, offers insights and suggests improvements, and the iOS listing describes a Journal GPT that answers questions about your entries. AI features are part of Pro.
- Calendar, tags and PDF export
- A calendar view and tags help you find past entries, and entries export to PDF with customizable layouts for printing. A passcode lock keeps the journal private.
Diaro
- Folders, tags and locations
- Entries are filed in folders and labeled with tags and places, with automatic geotagging for new entries. There is no limit on entries per day or on attached photos.
- Search and filters
- Find entries by keyword and narrow them by date, tag, folder or location. A calendar view gives an overview of the days that have entries.
- Mood tracker and statistics
- Each entry can record a mood, and a statistics screen summarizes entries and moods. An atlas view maps entries, and an on-this-day view resurfaces past ones.
- Lock and privacy
- The diary can be locked with a PIN, security code or fingerprint. Entries in the mobile apps are stored on the device, and synced content sits in your own Dropbox account.
- Dropbox sync and Diaro Online
- Pro links a Dropbox account to sync entries between Android and iOS devices and Diaro Online, the browser version at diaroapp.com.
- Import and export
- Pro exports entries to PDF, DOCX or TXT for printing or sharing. Importers cover Day One, Journey, Evernote, Google Keep and Momento.
Plans
Daybook
Free$0
Daybook's basic features: unlimited entries, sync across multiple devices and automatic cloud backup.
Pro (monthly)$3.49
per month
Mood analytics and word analysis, AI features, guided journals, themes, custom templates, higher-resolution photos and the advanced printer.
Pro (yearly)$39.99
per year
The same Pro features billed once a year, as shown under the Yearly toggle on the vendor's website.
Diaro
Free$0
Unlimited diary entries with folders, tags, photos, mood tracking and a PIN lock, shown with ads and kept on one device.
Diaro Pro 1 Year$8.99
per year
Dropbox sync across devices and Diaro Online, export to PDF, DOCX and TXT, no ads and priority support. The listing's description text quotes US$5.99 a year.
Diaro PRO$39.99
term not shown on the US App Store listing
A second in-app purchase named Diaro PRO is listed at $39.99 with no term or description given.
Ways to pay less
Daybook
- Annual discount
Yearly billing costs slightly less than monthly
The website lists Pro at $3.49 a month or $39.99 a year. Twelve monthly payments come to $41.88, so the yearly plan saves $1.89, about 4.5%.
- Lifetime license
One-time purchase of Daybook Premium
The US App Store lists a Daybook Premium OneTime in-app purchase at $94.99 as an alternative to a subscription. The listing's description text gives the figure as $94.49.
Diaro
- Other savings
Included in Google Play Pass on Android
The Google Play listing says the Android app is part of Google Play Pass, which gives Play Pass subscribers the app free of ads and in-app purchases.
