The Apple Journal Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Apple Journal in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Apple Journal
The Insider’s Guide
Apple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among journaling apps, read from Apple Journal’s own pages.
Made by Apple · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05After you payGetting your money back, getting out, and getting help
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Apple Journal’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Apple Journal’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
3.2
GPA, above 32 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade
Journal is Apple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Entries combine formatted text with photos, videos, drawings, map locations and voice recordings that are transcribed automatically, and journaling suggestions built on the device offer recent moments and prompts to write about. Entries can be split across multiple journals, locked with a passcode, Touch ID or Face ID, and synced between devices through iCloud.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Apple Journal, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It suggests moments from your day, like photos, workouts and outings, and turns voice recordings into text.
- 1
Best for a free journal for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Journal is Apple's own journaling app, free with nothing to buy.
- 2
It is free
Apple Journal has no paid plan at all. The app is listed as free on the US App Store with no in-app purchases shown. Syncing between devices runs through iCloud with an Apple Account.
- 3
It runs on 2 platforms
iOS and macOS.
- 4
Journaling suggestions
Suggested moments group outings, photos, workouts and media into starting points for an entry, alongside writing and reflection prompts. Suggestions are created with on-device processing.
- 5
Text, media and voice entries
Entries hold formatted text, photos, videos, drawings and map locations. Voice recordings made in the app are transcribed automatically.
- 6
Multiple journals and Places
Separate journals can each have a custom name and icon. The Places view shows entries on a map by location, and entries can be searched, filtered and bookmarked.
- 7
A 3.2 GPA, above 32 of 35
That is against the other journaling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Apple Journal is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
- 9
What users like
Reviewers like how plain and uncluttered it is, describing an app they can open and simply write in.
Apple Journal at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Apple
- Category
- Journaling Apps
- Our grade
- 3.2 GPA, very good
- Store rating
- 4.8 on the App Store, 328,824 ratings
The report card
Best for a free journal for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Journal is Apple's own journaling app, free with nothing to buy. It suggests moments from your day, like photos, workouts and outings, and turns voice recordings into text. It's Apple devices only, though, transcription is English only, there are no tags, and on Mac entries aren't in iCloud backups. Some App Store reviewers find it bare next to other journaling apps.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free on the US App Store, with no in-app purchases shown. Nothing is held back for a paid tier, because there isn't one. Sync runs through iCloud with your Apple Account. |
| Free plan and trial | A | Everything is free: multiple journals, journaling suggestions, Insights, the lock and iCloud sync. There's no trial to run out and no upgrade to be sold. |
| Features | C | Text with photos, videos, drawings, locations and transcribed voice, several journals, a Places map, streak Insights and PDF export: the basics. The gaps are on the record, though. No tags, reviewers miss heavier formatting, transcription is English only, and on Mac entries aren't in iCloud backups. |
| Ease of use | A | 4.8 from about 328,800 App Store ratings. It's plain: open it and write, and suggestions hand you something to start from instead of an empty page. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | iPhone, iPad and Mac, and that's all. No Android, Windows or web version is offered. What it connects to is Apple too: Health, iCloud, Apple Music and Safari. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Apple Journal is for
- Fits if you own an iPhone, iPad or Mac and want a journal that costs nothing
- Works for logging your state of mind to the Health app next to what you wrote
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Android or Windows, as it's Apple devices only
- Too light for people who want tags and heavier formatting, which some reviewers say they miss
- Not for you if you'd dictate in another language, as transcription is English only
- Tight if the Mac is your only computer, since journal entries aren't in its iCloud backup
- Watch out: end-to-end encryption in iCloud needs two-factor authentication and a device passcode
Good to know
Good for
- iPhone, iPad and Mac owners who want a journal at no cost
- People who like prompts drawn from their photos, workouts and outings
- Logging state of mind to the Health app alongside written entries
Worth knowing
- Listed only for iPhone, iPad and Mac; no Android, Windows or web version is offered.
- Apple says audio transcription is available in English only, excluding the Singapore and India locales.
- End-to-end encryption of entries stored in iCloud requires two-factor authentication and a device passcode.
- On Mac, journal entries are not included in iCloud backups; Apple points to Time Machine for a backup copy.
What people say
- 4.8on the App Store, from 328,824 ratings
What they like
- Reviewers like how plain and uncluttered it is, describing an app they can open and simply write in.
- Adding photos, voice recordings, music or the app's own suggestions to an entry is a feature several reviewers pick out.
What they don’t
- Several reviewers find it too bare next to other journaling and writing apps, with text formatting, search and tags among the things they miss.
- Reviewers run into limits on what can be attached to an entry, such as an existing voice memo, a file or photos taken on another camera.
10 App Store reviews from February 2024 to September 2026, eight of them four or five stars. Hacker News had only a few passing mentions
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Apple Journal is free to use.
Free on the US App Store, with no in-app purchases shown.
Free
$0
Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad and Mac, including multiple journals, journaling suggestions, Insights and iCloud sync.
The free plan
The app is listed as free on the US App Store with no in-app purchases shown. Syncing between devices runs through iCloud with an Apple Account.
Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Apple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: end-to-end encrypted, transcription, daily notes, mood tracking.
No tags, reviewers miss heavier formatting, transcription is English only, and on Mac entries aren't in iCloud backups.
- Journaling suggestions
- Suggested moments group outings, photos, workouts and media into starting points for an entry, alongside writing and reflection prompts. Suggestions are created with on-device processing.
- Text, media and voice entries
- Entries hold formatted text, photos, videos, drawings and map locations. Voice recordings made in the app are transcribed automatically.
- Multiple journals and Places
- Separate journals can each have a custom name and icon. The Places view shows entries on a map by location, and entries can be searched, filtered and bookmarked.
- Insights and reminders
- Insights shows the current writing streak, the days journaled and other statistics. Scheduled and streak notifications remind you when it is time to write.
- State of mind logging
- A state of mind can be logged from within Journal and saved to the Health app, and writing time is saved to Health as Mindful Minutes.
- Lock, sync and export
- The journal can be locked with a passcode, Touch ID or Face ID. Entries sync through iCloud and can be printed or exported to PDF, singly or by date range.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- Apple Health
- iCloud
- Apple Music
- Safari
Apple Journal is made by Apple.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
32/35
Other journaling apps it is graded above
Apple Journal's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 32 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 29 of 35) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Apple Journal has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4, and no tool on the category's chart scores higher without costing more.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 36 journaling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Apple Journal’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 25 of 35
- AFree plan and trialAbove 29 of 35
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 35
- AEase of useAbove 19 of 35
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 2 of 35
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 29 journaling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Apple Journal is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Apple Journal is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.2 is higher than 32 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade.
What you could make
- Daily notes and mood tracking: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Speech turned into text you can trust.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
What this rests on. Apple Journal’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Refunds
After you pay
Getting your money back, getting out, and getting help
What happens once you have paid: whether you can get your money back, how to leave, and how to reach a person when something goes wrong. Each is graded from Apple Journal’s own terms and help pages.
Leaving Apple Journal
Not graded · checked Oct 18, 2026
Journal is free and comes with the iPhone, so there is no plan, no card and nothing to refund. The only account behind it is the Apple Account your entries sync through, and Apple will delete that whenever you ask. Think hard first: the deletion takes everything in iCloud with it, not just your journal, and Apple says it cannot put any of it back.
- Closing your account
There is no paid plan to cancel. The account behind iCloud journal syncing is your Apple Account, which Apple says you can permanently delete at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account. Apple verifies that you are the account holder before deleting it, and you cannot delete an account with an active AppleCare plan.
Stated on support.apple.com- What you keep afterwards
Apple says that when an Apple Account is deleted, the account details and the data stored with it, including content in iCloud, are permanently deleted from its servers and cannot be restored, and the account cannot be reopened. It recommends backing up iCloud data first, signing out of every device, and deactivating the account instead, where that is offered, if you might come back.
Stated on support.apple.com
In your favour
- Nothing to pay, so nothing to cancel and nothing to claim back.
- You can delete your Apple Account yourself, at any time and for any reason.
- Apple sends a code when you request deletion, and support can stop the request while it is processing.
Watch out for
- Deleting an Apple Account is permanent and takes everything in iCloud with it, not just your journal.
- Apple cannot restore the data afterwards, so back it up before you ask.
- You cannot reuse that email address or phone number for a new account for several years.
- Journal entries live in iCloud, so an account deletion is the end of them.
Customer support
Good · checked Oct 18, 2026
Journal has no support team of its own. You get Apple's, and for a free app that is a lot: a user guide, a huge public forum, a chat that runs in Messages and phone support in the countries Apple lists. It stops short of an A because the contact page states no hours and no reply time, and Apple says live support is not offered everywhere.
Ways to get help
Live chat
The Contact Apple Support page offers a chat with Apple that runs in the Messages app on your device. It covers Apple products in general and is not specific to Journal.
Stated on support.apple.comPhone
The same page offers phone support, chosen by country or region from a long list. Where a region is not on the list, Apple does not offer live support there.
Stated on support.apple.comHelp centre
The Journal User Guide covers the app chapter by chapter: getting started, writing, editing and deleting entries, formatting, building a habit, searching, printing and exporting, and protecting entries.
Stated on support.apple.comCommunity or forum
The Apple Support Community is a public forum where Apple customers ask and answer questions about any Apple product, open to read without an account.
Stated on discussions.apple.com
Not listed on Apple Journal’s pages: email, contact form or ticket.
- When people answer
Its pages do not say.
- How fast it says it replies
Its pages do not say.
- What depends on your plan
Its pages do not say.
In your favour
- You can reach Apple live, by chat in Messages or by phone, for an app that costs nothing.
- The Journal User Guide has a chapter on printing and exporting your entries.
- The Apple Support Community is public and covers every Apple product.
Watch out for
- No hours and no reply time are stated on the contact page.
- Live support is not offered everywhere: if your region is not listed, Apple says there is none.
- There is no line just for Journal. You go through Apple's general support.
What these two grades rest on. Read on 18 October 2026: Apple's support articles on deleting an Apple Account and on contacting Apple Support, the Journal User Guide's table of contents, the Apple Support Community and the app's App Store listing. The guide's individual chapters were not served to our reader, which is in India, so only the contents page was read. Nobody here closed an account or contacted Apple's support. They are graded apart from the five that make the GPA. How we grade refunds and support.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Day One, Diarly, Journey and Diarium
The 4 tools Apple Journal is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.2GPA
Day One
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Encrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices.
- Only Day One lists a web app.
- Only Day One lists Windows and Android apps.
- Only Day One lists a browser extension.
- 2.8GPA
Diarly
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Private Markdown journal for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Apple Journal also covers transcription.
- Diarly also covers Markdown and templates.
- 2.8GPA
Journey
Free plan · from $17.99 one-time
Cross-platform diary with maps, mood tracking and guided programs.
- Only Journey lists a web app.
- Only Journey lists Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Apple Journal also covers transcription.
- 3.2GPA
Diarium
Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
Private journal with a one-time Pro purchase and your own cloud sync.
- Only Diarium lists Windows and Android apps.
- Apple Journal is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Diarium can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
18
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Apple Journal free?
Yes. Apple Journal is free to use.
How much does Apple Journal cost?
Apple Journal lists one plan. Free: $0.
What platforms does Apple Journal work on?
Apple Journal is available on iOS and macOS.
How is Apple Journal rated?
Apple Journal's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 328,824 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 7, 2026.
Is Apple Journal any good?
We have not tested Apple Journal, so this is what reviewers say. Often praised: Reviewers like how plain and uncluttered it is, describing an app they can open and simply write in.
Does Apple Journal have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Journal is listed for iOS and macOS.
Does Apple Journal have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Apple Journal is listed for iOS and macOS.
Is Apple Journal open source?
Apple Journal is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Apple Journal end-to-end encrypted?
Apple Journal describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site.
What does Apple Journal integrate with?
Apple Journal's listing names Apple Health, iCloud, Apple Music and Safari.
Who makes Apple Journal?
Apple Journal is made by Apple.
What are the alternatives to Apple Journal?
The closest alternatives to Apple Journal in our directory are Day One, Diarly, Journey and Diarium.
How do I close a Apple Journal account?
There is no paid plan to cancel. The account behind iCloud journal syncing is your Apple Account, which Apple says you can permanently delete at any time and for any reason: you sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and select the request to delete your account.
What happens to my data if I leave Apple Journal?
Apple says that when an Apple Account is deleted, the account details and the data stored with it, including content in iCloud, are permanently deleted from its servers and cannot be restored, and the account cannot be reopened.
How do I contact Apple Journal support?
Apple Journal's pages list these ways to get help: live chat, phone, help centre and community or forum.
How does Apple Journal compare with other journaling apps?
Apple Journal's GPA of 3.2 is higher than 32 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 3.
Is Apple Journal good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Apple Journal A for value for money. Apple Journal has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Apple Journal?
Apple Journal is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Apple Journal’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Apple's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-01-30.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices change, so check support.apple.com before you buy.
- apps.apple.com/us/app/journal/id6447391597
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/welcome/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/get-started-with-journal-dev732d29921/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/add-formatting-photos-and-more-devb7625b2b0/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/build-a-journaling-habit-dev19b1e375f/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/view-and-search-journal-entries-dev153edfa89/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/print-and-export-entries-dev883fc2329/mac
- support.apple.com/guide/journal/protect-your-journal-entries-dev90dd74024/mac
- apple.com/legal/privacy/data/en/journaling-suggestions/
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Apple Journal, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/apple-journal
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Apple Journal: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/apple-journal
Know someone choosing between journaling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/apple-journal/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded journaling apps after Apple Journal, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Journaling Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 36 journaling apps we grade, compared
- Day One Insider's GuideEncrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices3.2 GPA
- Diarium Insider's GuidePrivate journal with a one-time Pro purchase and your own cloud sync3.2 GPA
- How We Feel Insider's GuideFree emotion check-in journal from a science nonprofit3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Apple Journal’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Apple Journal is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Apple. Prices and plans change: check support.apple.com before you buy.