Diarly vs Zinnia

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

Zinnia

• Bullet journal fans who want paper-style pages on an iPad
• Decorating planners with stickers, washi tape and lettering
• Apple users who plan across iPad, iPhone and Mac

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.

Zinnia

• Apple only: the vendor lists iPad, iPhone and Mac, with no Android, Windows or web version.
• The free version has limited content; full access is a subscription, and no one-time purchase is listed.
• Vendor prices disagree: the in-app purchase list shows $9.99 a month and $39.99 a year, while the App Store description says $8.99 and $34.99.
• The vendor's own site shows only per-week figures ($3.99, $2.23 and $0.76 a week) instead of the amounts billed.

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.

Zinnia

Handwriting and drawing tools

Write, sketch, highlight, paint and color with tools that have adjustable size, opacity and color. The iPad app supports Apple Pencil and Scribble.

Zinnia Studio content

A catalog of ready-made journals, planners, trackers, stickers, washi tape, frames and templates, with new content each month. The free version includes a limited selection.

Planner and calendar layouts

Calendar layouts and auto-dated templates turn a journal into a planner, and events can sync to digital calendars such as Google Calendar.

PDF import and links

Import PDFs to mark up, including linked and tabbed planners bought on Etsy, and add links to web pages or to other journal pages.

Sync across Apple devices

Journals sync between iPad, iPhone and Mac through iCloud, and the vendor lists offline access to journals on iPad.

Export and sharing

Save a spread as a PDF or share it directly to Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and other social networks.

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.

Zinnia

• Free$0

  The journal and drawing tools with a limited selection of Studio content.

• Zinnia Premium Weekly$3.99

  per week

  Full content access billed weekly. The vendor's site, the App Store description and the in-app purchase list all give $3.99.

• Zinnia Premium Monthly$9.99

  per month

  Full content access billed monthly. Listed at $9.99 as an in-app purchase; the listing's description says $8.99 and the vendor's site shows $2.23 a week.

• Zinnia Premium Yearly$39.99

  per year

  Full content access billed yearly. The in-app list shows $39.99 and also $34.99; the description says $34.99 and the vendor's site shows $0.76 a week.

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.

Zinnia

• Annual discount

  Yearly billing costs far less than weekly or monthly

  At the in-app prices of $3.99 a week, $9.99 a month and $39.99 a year, a year costs $207.48 paid weekly or $119.88 paid monthly, so the yearly plan is about two thirds cheaper than monthly.