Diarly vs Stoic

Diarly

• Apple users who want a journal stored on their devices and their own iCloud
• Writers who prefer plain-text Markdown entries they can export
• People moving from Day One, Apple Journal or Journey, which have importers

Stoic

• People who want a structured morning and evening journaling routine
• Apple users who want entries kept on-device and in their own iCloud
• Combining journaling with mood tracking, meditation and breathing exercises

Diarly

• Built only for Apple devices: there is no Windows, Android or web version.
• Sync between devices needs Premium and runs through iCloud; the free version keeps one journal on one device.
• Encryption covers the text of entries, needs Premium, and entries cannot be recovered if the encryption password is forgotten.
• The vendor's pricing page shows no amounts; the US App Store lists yearly Premium at both $24.99 and $29.99.

Stoic

• No price list is published; subscription prices appear in the app and on app store listings.
• The help center lists the mood and habit tracker, custom templates, widgets, iCloud sync and the app lock under Premium.
• The Android app is newer and, by the vendor's own account, has fewer features than the iOS app.
• Free trials apply only to the annual plan and can be used once per Apple ID.

Diarly

Markdown editor

Entries are written in Markdown with slash commands, checklists, tables and a typewriter mode. The Mac version is a native app with a menu bar and keyboard shortcuts.

Media and context in entries

Add photos, videos, drawings, audio recordings, files, tags and map locations. Templates can insert the weather, calendar events and Apple Health details automatically.

Timeline, calendar, map and gallery

Browse entries by date on a timeline or calendar, by place on a map or by image in a gallery. On This Day brings back entries from earlier years.

Mood tracker and insights

Log moods and emotions inside entries and see how they change in a mood calendar and Insights. Writing goals, streaks and reminders support a daily habit.

On-device storage and iCloud sync

Journals are saved on the device and never on Diarly's servers. Premium syncs them through your iCloud Drive and can encrypt entry text with a password only you know.

AI Assistant and AI+

Premium includes an OpenAI-powered assistant reached with the /ask command, plus daily affirmations and advice. AI+ is a separate subscription for audio transcription and OCR.

Stoic

Morning and evening reflections

Each day starts with a short preparation and ends with a reflection, with mood check-ins in between. Personalizing the two reflections is listed as a Premium feature.

Guided journals and daily prompts

A new prompt appears each day under a weekly theme, alongside guided journals on topics such as gratitude, stress and relationships. The full library needs Premium.

Mood and trend tracking

Log your mood and the factors that influence it, then view trends for mood, emotions, sleep, health and writing. The help center lists the mood and habit tracker under Premium.

Meditation and breathing exercises

Guided or unguided meditation sessions and breathing exercises sit beside the journal. The free plan includes a limited selection.

AI mentor and entry analysis

On Premium + AI, a chosen mentor style writes custom prompts, analyzes past entries for patterns in mood and themes, and times reminders to your routine.

On-device storage with iCloud sync

Entries are kept on your devices; the help center says Stoic has no servers of its own. Premium adds iCloud sync and backup across Apple devices and a passcode or Face ID lock.

Diarly

• Free$0

  One journal with unlimited entries and media, Markdown editing and export, saved on a single device without sync.

• Monthly Premium$2.99

  per month

  iCloud sync across Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, multiple journals, entry encryption, themes, more export formats and the AI Assistant.

• Yearly Premium$24.99

  per year

  The same Premium features billed yearly. The US App Store lists the promoted yearly plan at $24.99 and a second yearly entry at $29.99.

• AI+$1.99

  per month

  Optional separate subscription that transcribes audio entries into text and extracts text from photos with OCR.

Stoic

• Free$0

  Daily prompts, quotes and affirmations, basic guided journals and a limited selection of breathing and meditation exercises.

• Stoic Premium$6.99 to $39.99

  monthly or yearly; the US App Store does not label each price

  Full library of guided journals and exercises, custom templates, mood and habit tracker, widgets, iCloud sync and app lock. Listed at $6.99, $17.99, $26.99 and $39.99.

• Stoic Premium + AI$12.99 to $99.99

  monthly or yearly; the US App Store does not label each price

  Everything in Premium plus AI mentors, Dig Deeper analysis of entries and AI-tuned notifications. Listed at $12.99, $69.99 and $99.99.

• Stoic Lifetime Premium$299.00

  one-time purchase

  A single in-app purchase listed on the US App Store as an alternative to the Premium subscription.

Diarly

• Annual discount

  Yearly Premium saves about 30% over monthly

  The US App Store lists Monthly Premium at $2.99 and the yearly plan at $24.99. Twelve monthly payments come to $35.88, so paying yearly saves $10.89.

Stoic

• Education

  Student discount on application

  Stoic's help center says students can apply for a Student Discount through a form linked from its website. The size of the discount is not stated.

• Lifetime license

  Stoic Lifetime Premium for $299.00

  Stoic's terms describe a Lifetime purchase that grants ongoing access to Stoic Premium for as long as the app remains available. The US App Store lists it at $299.00.