The DailyTxT Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about DailyTxT 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.
DailyTxT
The Insider’s Guide
Self-hosted encrypted diary web app that runs in Docker
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among journaling apps, read from DailyTxT’s own pages.
Made by PhiTux · checked Oct 6, 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
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from DailyTxT’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on DailyTxT’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 6, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade
DailyTxT is an open-source diary web app that you host yourself with Docker. Entries are written in Markdown with a live preview, one per day, and can carry tags, uploaded files, images and map locations. Everything is encrypted on the server before it is stored, with a separate key for each user account, and the data is kept in JSON files without a database. The interface is responsive and can be installed on a phone as a progressive web app.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about DailyTxT, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You need a server and Docker, you look after updates and backups, and the author doesn't promise versions stay compatible.
- 1
Best for an encrypted diary on your own server
But there's no hosted version to sign up for.
- 2
It is free
DailyTxT has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the MIT license. You run it on your own server with Docker; there is no paid hosted service, and the author accepts donations through Buy Me a Coffee.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Encryption on the server
Entries and files are encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305 before they reach storage, using a per-user key unlocked by a key derived from the password. The admin cannot read them.
- 5
Markdown editor
Entries are written in Markdown with a live preview and saved automatically. A read mode shows a month's entries without the editor.
- 6
File uploads and image viewer
Any file can be attached to a day, up to 500 MB each, and is stored encrypted. Images are recognized and shown in a gallery with a full-screen view.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 19 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
DailyTxT is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
DailyTxT at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- PhiTux
- Category
- Journaling Apps
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for an encrypted diary on your own server
DailyTxT is a diary you run yourself. It's free, it encrypts every entry and file on the server before storing it, and it has Markdown, tags, search, templates, a photo gallery and a map. But there's no hosted version to sign up for. You need a server and Docker, you look after updates and backups, and the author doesn't promise versions stay compatible.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free and open source under the MIT license, with no paid edition and no paid hosting, where journal apps here sit around $4.17 a month in the middle. Your only cost is the server it runs on, and the author takes donations. |
| Free plan and trial | A | The complete app is free, with several user accounts on one instance and nothing held back, because there's no paid plan to hold it for. No cap you'd ever meet. |
| Features | B | It covers the whole job and paywalls none of it: Markdown with live preview, tags, search across words, tags and file names, your own templates, files up to 500 MB on a day, a photo gallery, a map with GPX tracks and export to HTML. The catch is where the encryption happens: on the server, not in your browser. |
| Ease of use | D | You host it yourself, which means Docker, TLS, updates and backups on you, and the README warns the author doesn't promise versions stay compatible. A live demo is the only way to try it without a server. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | Web only. It fits a phone screen and installs as a PWA, but there are no native phone or desktop apps and no integrations on the listing. |
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 DailyTxT is for
- Fits if you already run a home server and want your diary on it
- Works for households, since each account on the instance gets its own encryption key
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you've never touched Docker, as there's no hosted version
- Not for you if you want a native phone app, because phones get the web app
- Tight if you hate maintenance, since the author doesn't promise updates will stay backward compatible
- Watch out: encryption happens on the server, not end to end in your browser
- Watch out: there are no integrations, and moving from version 1 means following migration steps
Good to know
Good for
- Self-hosters who want a private diary on their own server
- Households sharing one instance with separately encrypted accounts
- People who write in Markdown and attach photos or files to each day
Worth knowing
- There is no hosted version beyond a live demo: you run it with Docker and look after TLS, updates and backups yourself.
- Encryption is done on the server, not end to end in the browser; the README says search would not work otherwise.
- There are no native mobile or desktop apps; phones use the responsive web app, which installs as a PWA.
- The author does not guarantee backward compatibility, and moving from version 1 means following the migration steps.
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
DailyTxT is free to use.
Your only cost is the server it runs on, and the author takes donations.
Self-hosted
$0
The complete web app as a Docker image for AMD64 and ARM64, with multiple user accounts on your own server.
The free plan
Free and open source under the MIT license. You run it on your own server with Docker; there is no paid hosted service, and the author accepts donations through Buy Me a Coffee.
Read from github.com on Oct 6, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Self-hosted encrypted diary web app that runs in Docker. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, Markdown, daily notes, templates.
The catch is where the encryption happens: on the server, not in your browser.
- Encryption on the server
- Entries and files are encrypted with ChaCha20-Poly1305 before they reach storage, using a per-user key unlocked by a key derived from the password. The admin cannot read them.
- Markdown editor
- Entries are written in Markdown with a live preview and saved automatically. A read mode shows a month's entries without the editor.
- File uploads and image viewer
- Any file can be attached to a day, up to 500 MB each, and is stored encrypted. Images are recognized and shown in a gallery with a full-screen view.
- Tags, search and templates
- Entries take tags, search covers any word, tag or file name, and custom templates can be created, including a default template.
- Map and GPX tracks
- Locations can be pinned to each day and viewed on a map. The map also shows GPX files when they are available.
- Multi-user, admin panel and export
- One instance holds several accounts, each with its own encryption key. An admin panel manages users and registration, and entries export to HTML with their files.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
DailyTxT is made by PhiTux.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
19/35
Other journaling apps it is graded above
DailyTxT's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 29 of 35) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
DailyTxT has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 36 journaling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. DailyTxT’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 25 of 35
- AFree plan and trialAbove 29 of 35
- BFeaturesAbove 30 of 35
- DEase of useAbove 0 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. DailyTxT 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
DailyTxT is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
What you could make
- Daily notes, Markdown and templates: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. DailyTxT’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 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Daily You, RedNotebook, Journalistic, Penzu and Day One
The 5 tools DailyTxT is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Daily You
Free
Free, open-source offline diary and mood tracker for Android.
- Only DailyTxT lists a web app.
- Only Daily You lists an Android app.
- DailyTxT is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
RedNotebook
Free
Free desktop diary that stores entries as plain text files.
- Only DailyTxT lists a web app.
- Only RedNotebook lists Linux and Windows apps.
- DailyTxT is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- 3.0GPA
Journalistic
Free
Micro journaling web app built around short bulleted entries.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- DailyTxT also covers Markdown and templates.
- Journalistic also covers notes and goals.
- 2.8GPA
Penzu
Free plan · from $19.99/yr
Private online journal for the browser, with iOS and Android apps.
- Only Penzu lists iOS and Android apps.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Penzu can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 3.2GPA
Day One
Free plan · from $49.99/yr
Encrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices.
- Only Day One lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Only Day One lists a browser extension.
- DailyTxT is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
11
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 DailyTxT free?
Yes. DailyTxT is free to use.
How much does DailyTxT cost?
DailyTxT lists one plan. Self-hosted: $0.
What platforms does DailyTxT work on?
DailyTxT is available on Web.
Does DailyTxT have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. DailyTxT is listed for Web.
Does DailyTxT have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. DailyTxT is listed for Web.
Is DailyTxT open source?
Yes. DailyTxT is open source, according to its own site.
Who makes DailyTxT?
DailyTxT is made by PhiTux.
What are the alternatives to DailyTxT?
The closest alternatives to DailyTxT in our directory are Daily You, RedNotebook, Journalistic, Penzu and Day One.
How does DailyTxT compare with other journaling apps?
DailyTxT's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 19 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 9.
Is DailyTxT good value for money?
ToolGPA grades DailyTxT A for value for money. DailyTxT has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of DailyTxT?
DailyTxT is free, so making your own would save you nothing. What you could not make: The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from DailyTxT’s own pages on Oct 6, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from DailyTxT's own pages on 6 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-12.
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 PhiTux. Prices change, so check github.com before you buy.
Part 07 · 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
- DailyTxT, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/dailytxt
- 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, "DailyTxT: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/dailytxt
Know someone choosing between journaling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/dailytxt/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded journaling apps after DailyTxT, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Journaling Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 36 journaling apps we grade, compared
- Apple Journal Insider's GuideApple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac3.2 GPA
- 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
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what DailyTxT’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. DailyTxT is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by PhiTux. Prices and plans change: check github.com before you buy.