Daybook vs Penzu
We give Daybook a 3.6 GPA and Penzu a 3.2, out of 4.0. Daybook grades higher on ease of use and platforms. Penzu grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan and features.
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
Penzu
Private online journal for the browser, with iOS and Android apps
How we grade them
| 3.6GPADaybookExcellent | 3.2GPAPenzuVery 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. | APenzu Pro is $19.99 a year, well under what journaling apps usually charge, or $4.99 a month. It adds encryption locking, tagging, PDF export, writing prompts and writing by email. Pro+ is $49.99 a year for versions and a zen-mode. Lifetime is $199.99, which is a lot up front. |
| 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. | ABasic gives you unlimited entries on the web and in the mobile apps, with basic covers, fonts and reminders, and no credit card. You could write here for years. What you don't get is tagging, PDF export or writing prompts, which are 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. | BUnlimited entries that save as you type, journals with their own covers and locks, reminders, search, and emails that send you back to old entries. Solid for plain writing. But tagging, PDF export and prompts need Pro, and versions with entry recovery are Pro+ only. |
| 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. | C4.2 from about 2,500 App Store ratings, which is a C on our ladder. The writing side sounds simple enough: open a browser, type, and it saves itself. But that rating is for the iOS app, and it's the lowest mark on this card. |
| 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. | BAny web browser, plus iOS and Android apps. There's no desktop app, and no integrations or API are listed. On Pro you can write to a journal by email with Penzu Post. The App Store shows English as the only language. |
| Best for | a free diary that syncs phone and browser | writing a private journal in your browser |
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 Penzu. How we grade
Where they differ
- Daybook starts at $3.49 per month, or $39.99 per year. Penzu starts at $19.99 per year, or $4.99 per month.
- Penzu can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Daybook also covers dictation, templates and mood tracking.
- Penzu also covers long-form writing.
At a glance
| Daybook | Penzu | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $3.49 per month, or $39.99 per year | $19.99 per year, or $4.99 per month |
| 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. | Basic plan: unlimited entries, the mobile apps, basic journal covers and fonts, and simple writing reminders. No credit card is required. |
| 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 | Penzu Inc. |
| Price read from | daybook.app | penzu.com |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 5, 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
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
