Diaro vs Journey

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

Journey

• People who want one journal on phone, desktop (including Linux) and web
• Travel journals, with entries tagged by place and shown on a map
• Guided journaling through coach programs and templates
• Buyers who would rather pay once than subscribe

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.

Journey

• The free version has no desktop app access and caps Journey Cloud Sync at 70MB and 60 entries.
• A Premium license covers a single platform; the help center says the Journey Desktop and web apps do not support it.
• Turning on end-to-end encryption disables search, and the vendor says it cannot be reversed.
• Membership stops at 10GB and 5,000 entries; more needs the separate Signature subscription, whose price is not shown publicly.

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.

Journey

Multimedia entries

Entries hold photos, videos and audio, with formatting such as tables, checklists and text color. The free version limits photo uploads and has no audio, video or text formatting.

Atlas, calendar and Throwback

Atlas maps entries and media by tagged location, the calendar shows entries by date, and Throwback resurfaces entries from a week, a month or years ago.

Sync and end-to-end encryption

Journals sync through Google Drive or Journey Cloud Sync. Journey Cloud Sync has optional end-to-end encryption with a passphrase the company does not store, and a Docker image for a self-hosted sync drive is offered.

Coach programs and templates

More than 60 guided journaling programs and a set of prompt templates. Free and Premium get limited access; Membership unlocks all programs and custom templates.

Odyssey AI

A chat assistant answers questions about your own past entries. Free and Premium accounts can ask 10 questions a day, and Membership raises that to 50.

Shared journals and web links

Journals can be shared with other people, and selected entries published as web links that open in a browser. Free accounts get 2 web links, Membership 50.

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.

Journey

• Free$0

  Mobile and limited web access, Google Drive sync, 70MB and 60 entries on Journey Cloud Sync, shared journals and limited photo uploads.

• Premium$17.99

  one-time purchase per platform (US App Store price)

  Unlocks rich text, audio, themes, Throwback and export on the platform it was bought for, Android or iOS. Not supported on the desktop or web apps.

• Membership$6.99

  per month, or $49.99 per year

  Every platform including desktop and web, 10GB and 5,000 entries on Journey Cloud Sync, all coach programs, custom templates, email entries and Zapier.

• Lifetime Membership$199.00

  one-time purchase

  The Membership features on every platform for a single payment instead of a subscription.

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.

Journey

• Annual discount

  About 40% less with the annual Membership

  The US App Store listing prices Membership at $6.99 monthly or $49.99 a year, which works out to about 40% less than twelve monthly payments.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Membership for a single payment

  Journey's membership page offers a lifetime purchase as an alternative to the subscription. The US App Store lists Lifetime Membership at $199.00.