Day One
Encrypted journal for text, photos, audio and video across devices
Our verdict
First of our top three journaling apps
For: Most people
Day One holds text, photos, video, audio and drawings, and lets you look back by calendar, by map or through On This Day. It runs on the web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, and its iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 from about 118,000 ratings. The free Basic plan covers unlimited text entries and journals with end-to-end encryption, a passcode or biometric lock, prompts and templates. Silver is $49.99 a year and adds sync across unlimited devices, 30 photos or videos per entry, audio recording and drawings. Know the limits: Basic works from 1 device with 1 photo per entry, paid plans are sold by the year with no monthly option, and the AI features need Gold at $74.99 a year.
See all three and how we rankWhat is Day One?
Day One is a journaling app owned by Automattic, with apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Android, Mac and Windows plus a web version. Entries hold text with Markdown formatting, photos, video, audio and drawings, and can be browsed by calendar, map or the On This Day view. The free Basic plan works on one device with one photo per entry; Silver adds sync across devices and more media, and Gold adds AI features such as Daily Chat and entry summaries.
Day One has a free plan. Paid plans start at $49.99 per year. See every plan
Good for
- People who want one journal across Apple, Android, Windows and the web
- Journals that mix writing with photos, video, audio and drawings
- Writers who want end-to-end encryption without paying
Worth knowing
- The free Basic plan is limited to 1 device and 1 photo per entry; video, audio, drawings and collections need Silver.
- Paid plans are sold as annual subscriptions only; Day One's help guides say monthly plans are not offered.
- AI features are limited to Gold at $74.99 per year and have daily usage limits.
- Silver and Gold subscriptions cannot be shared through Apple Family Sharing.
Key features
- Multimedia entries
- Entries combine Markdown-formatted text with photos, video, audio recordings, drawings and scanned PDFs. Basic allows 1 photo per entry; Silver and Gold allow 30 media items.
- End-to-end encryption and app lock
- Every plan, including the free one, lists end-to-end encryption, passcode protection, biometric lock and secure cloud backup.
- Prompts, templates and streaks
- A daily prompt, a prompt gallery, journal templates, reminders and journal streaks are included on all three plans.
- On This Day, calendar and map views
- On This Day resurfaces entries from the same date in past years, and entries can also be browsed by calendar, map or media.
- Sync across devices
- Silver and Gold sync a journal across an unlimited number of devices. Basic backs up from one active device, with web access included.
- AI reflection tools
- Gold adds Daily Chat for guided reflection, Go Deeper prompts, entry summaries, title suggestions and image generation, each with daily usage limits.
Day One pricing
- Starts at
- $49.99 per year
- Free plan
- Basic plan: unlimited text entries and journals, 1 photo per entry, end-to-end encryption, prompts, templates and web access, used from 1 device.
- Free trial
- Free 1-month trial of a paid plan, started inside the app. Eligibility is controlled by the app stores.
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $0 | Unlimited text entries and journals, 1 photo per entry, end-to-end encryption, prompts and templates, on 1 device. |
| Silver | $49.99per year (no monthly plan is offered) | 30 photos or videos per entry, unlimited devices, audio recording and transcription, drawings, PDF scanning, and Strava, Zapier and IFTTT integrations. |
| Gold | $74.99per year (no monthly plan is offered) | Everything in Silver, plus Daily Chat, Go Deeper prompts, entry summaries, title suggestions and image generation. |
Read from dayoneapp.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Day One before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Education25% off for students for the first 4 years
Day One's FAQ offers students 25% off paid subscriptions for the first 4 years, after verifying student status with support by student ID or university email.
Stated on dayoneapp.com
How people rate the Day One app
4.8
out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app
- 5 stars88%
- 4 stars9%
- 3 stars1%
- 2 stars<1%
- 1 star<1%
118,439 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 6, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing
Works with
Day One alternatives
- Day One vs Journey
Free plan · from $17.99 one-time
- Day One vs Diarium
Free plan · from $14.99 one-time
- Day One vs Penzu
Free plan · from $19.99/yr
- Day One vs Diarly
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Common questions
Is Day One free?
Day One has a free plan. Basic plan: unlimited text entries and journals, 1 photo per entry, end-to-end encryption, prompts, templates and web access, used from 1 device. Paid plans start at $49.99 per year.
How much does Day One cost?
Day One lists 3 plans. Basic: $0. Silver: $49.99 per year (no monthly plan is offered). Gold: $74.99 per year (no monthly plan is offered). Prices were read from dayoneapp.com on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does Day One work on?
Day One is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
Does Day One offer any discounts?
Day One publicly lists the following: 25% off for students for the first 4 years.
How is Day One rated?
Day One's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 118,439 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 6, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.
Does Day One have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Day One is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Day One open source?
Day One is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Is Day One end-to-end encrypted?
Day One describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
What does Day One integrate with?
Day One's listing names Strava, Zapier, IFTTT and Apple Journaling Suggestions. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Day One have a student discount?
25% off for students for the first 4 years. Day One's FAQ offers students 25% off paid subscriptions for the first 4 years, after verifying student status with support by student ID or university email.
Does Day One have a free trial?
Yes. Free 1-month trial of a paid plan, started inside the app. Eligibility is controlled by the app stores.
Who makes Day One?
Day One is made by Automattic Inc. It dates from 2011.
What are the alternatives to Day One?
The closest alternatives to Day One in our directory are Journey, Diarium, Apple Journal, Penzu and Diarly. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Day One.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.