The Zinnia Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Zinnia 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.

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ToolGPAOctober 2026

Zinnia

The Insider’s Guide

Handwritten digital journal and planner for iPad, iPhone and Mac

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among journaling apps, read from Zinnia’s own pages.

Made by Pixite Inc. · checked Oct 6, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.2GPA

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 Zinnia’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Zinnia’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

2.2

GPA, above 2 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade

Zinnia is a digital journal and planner for iPad, iPhone and Mac that works like a paper notebook. You write and draw by hand, including with Apple Pencil, and decorate pages with stickers, washi tape, lettering and ready-made templates from a studio catalog that grows each month. Calendar layouts can link to digital calendars such as Google Calendar, and journals sync through iCloud. A free version has limited content; Zinnia Premium is a weekly, monthly or yearly subscription.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Zinnia, taken from its own pages and our grades.

It works like a paper notebook, so there's little to learn, and ready-made journals and planners save you starting from an empty page.

From our grade for ease of use

1
Best for paper-style journaling on an iPad
Android and Windows users should look elsewhere.
2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $39.99 per year, $9.99 per month or $3.99 per week (US App Store).
3
There is a free plan
Free version with limited content from the Zinnia Studio catalog. Full access to journals, planners, stickers and templates needs Zinnia Premium.
4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
5
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.
6
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.
7
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.
8
A 2.2 GPA, above 2 of 35
That is against the other journaling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
9
Your call
A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos.

Zinnia at a glance

Pricing: Free plan, from $39.99 per year, $9.99 per month or $3.99 per week (US App Store)
Free plan: Yes
Free trial: 7-day free trial of Zinnia Premium, after which the selected subscription starts.
Runs on: macOS, iOS
Made by: Pixite Inc.
Category: Journaling Apps
Our grade: 2.2 GPA, fair
Store rating: 4.6 on the App Store, 56,368 ratings

The report card

Best for paper-style journaling on an iPad

Zinnia is a handwritten journal and planner for iPad, iPhone and Mac, with Apple Pencil, stickers, washi tape and templates from a monthly catalog. It's Apple only, the free version gets a limited slice of the catalog without saying how limited, and full access is a subscription with no one-time price. Its own prices disagree: $9.99 a month and $39.99 a year in the in-app list, $8.99 and $34.99 in the App Store text. Android and Windows users should look elsewhere.

ToolGPA report cardZinniaGraded Oct 10, 2026

Subject	Grade	Comment
Value for money	C	Premium is $39.99 a year on the in-app list, which is $3.33 a month against a middle of $4.17 here, so ordinary money if you pay yearly. Monthly at $9.99 and weekly at $3.99 add up fast, and Zinnia's own pages disagree, the App Store description saying $8.99 and $34.99.
Free plan and trial	C	The free version has the journal and the drawing tools with a limited slice of the Studio catalog, and how limited is never spelled out, so you find out as you browse. Premium has a 7-day trial, after which the plan you picked starts.
Features	C	It does paper-style journaling fully: write, sketch, highlight and paint with Apple Pencil and Scribble, stickers, washi tape, frames, auto-dated planner templates, PDF import, page links and Google Calendar sync. But it's a smaller job than a journal you can search, since the pages are handwriting.
Ease of use	B	4.6 from about 56,400 App Store ratings, under the 4.7 an A needs. It works like a paper notebook, so there's little to learn, and ready-made journals and planners save you starting from an empty page.
Platforms and integrations	C	One family of devices: iPad, iPhone and Mac, synced through iCloud, with no Android, Windows or web version. Calendar layouts can link to Google Calendar, and that's the only connection on record.

Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.2

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 Zinnia is for

Fits if you keep a bullet journal and want paper-style pages on an iPad
Works for writing in a PDF planner you bought, or decorating pages with stickers and washi tape

Who it is not for

Skip it if you use Android or Windows, as it's iPad, iPhone and Mac only, with no web version
Pricey if you pay by the week, at $3.99 a week against $39.99 for a year
Not for you if you'd rather buy once, as full access is a subscription with no one-time price
Watch out: prices disagree, $9.99 a month and $39.99 a year in the in-app list against $8.99 and $34.99 in the description
Tight if you're staying free, as the free slice of the Studio catalog is limited and never spelled out

Good to know

Good for

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

Worth knowing

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.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$3.33

A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too

Zinnia has a free plan. Paid plans start at $39.99 per year, $9.99 per month or $3.99 per week (US App Store).

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.

The free plan

Free version with limited content from the Zinnia Studio catalog. Full access to journals, planners, stickers and templates needs Zinnia Premium.

Trying it first

7-day free trial of Zinnia Premium, after which the selected subscription starts.

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 6, 2026.

Ways to pay less

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.
Stated on apps.apple.com

What the app costs elsewhere

Each country’s App Store price for “Zinnia Monthly Premium”, against $9.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.

Country	Price there	In dollars	Against the US
Turkey	₺119,99	$2.44	76% less
Philippines	₱ 509.00	$8.10	19% less
Canada	$12.49	$8.78	12% less
Indonesia	Rp 159ribu	$8.89	11% less
Brazil	R$ 55,90	$11.17	12% more
Germany	10,49 €	$11.76	18% more
United Kingdom	£8.99	$11.89	19% more
Mexico	$239.00	$13.13	31% more

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

Places it runs: macOS and iOS

Handwritten digital journal and planner for iPad, iPhone and Mac. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, daily notes, templates, calendar.

But it's a smaller job than a journal you can search, since the pages are handwriting.

From our grade for features

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.

Where it runs

macOS
iOS

What it works with

Google Calendar
iCloud

Zinnia is made by Pixite Inc.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

2/35

Other journaling apps it is graded above

Zinnia's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 2 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 4.

It stands best on ease of use (B, above 3 of 35) and worst on features (C, above 0).

Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $3.66 for the category: 8 of the 21 others that charge start lower.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 9 tools score higher and cost less.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 36 journaling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Zinnia’s own letter is outlined.

CValue for money
Above 4 of 35
CFree plan and trial
Above 2 of 35
CFeatures
Above 0 of 35
BEase of use
Above 3 of 35
CPlatforms and integrations
Above 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. Zinnia 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.

Your call

A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos.

You could make the core of Zinnia for yourself: daily notes, templates and calendar. What you would give up is listed below. Whether that is worth the price is your call. It costs $39.99 a year.

What you could make

Daily notes, templates and calendar: an app builder makes these well.

What you could not

Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
Hooks into the device itself: Apple Pencil and handwriting.

What this rests on. Zinnia’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

Grid Diary, Day One, Apple Journal, Journey and Diarly

The 5 tools Zinnia is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

2.4GPA
Grid Diary
Free plan · from $4.99/mo
Prompt-based diary and planner laid out as a grid of questions.
- Only Grid Diary lists an Android app.
- Zinnia also covers calendar.
- Grid Diary also covers Markdown and habit tracking.
Zinnia and Grid Diary compared in full
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.
Zinnia and Day One compared in full
3.2GPA
Apple Journal
Free
Apple's free journaling app for iPhone, iPad and Mac.
- Apple Journal is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Zinnia also covers templates and calendar.
- Apple Journal also covers transcription and mood tracking.
Zinnia and Apple Journal compared in full
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.
- Journey is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Zinnia and Journey compared in full
2.8GPA
Diarly
Free plan · from $2.99/mo
Private Markdown journal for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.
- Diarly is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Zinnia also covers calendar.
- Diarly also covers Markdown and mood tracking.
Zinnia and Diarly compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

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 Zinnia free?

Zinnia has a free plan. Free version with limited content from the Zinnia Studio catalog.

How much does Zinnia cost?

Zinnia lists 4 plans. Free: $0.

What platforms does Zinnia work on?

Zinnia is available on macOS and iOS.

Does Zinnia offer any discounts?

Zinnia publicly lists the following: Yearly billing costs far less than weekly or monthly.

How is Zinnia rated?

Zinnia's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 56,368 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 6, 2026.

Does Zinnia have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Zinnia is listed for macOS and iOS.

Does Zinnia have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 6, 2026. Zinnia is listed for macOS and iOS.

Is Zinnia open source?

Zinnia is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 6, 2026.

Does Zinnia work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does Zinnia integrate with?

Zinnia's listing names Google Calendar and iCloud. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Does Zinnia have a free trial?

Yes. 7-day free trial of Zinnia Premium, after which the selected subscription starts.

Who makes Zinnia?

Zinnia is made by Pixite Inc.

What are the alternatives to Zinnia?

The closest alternatives to Zinnia in our directory are Grid Diary, Day One, Apple Journal, Journey and Diarly.

How does Zinnia compare with other journaling apps?

Zinnia's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 2 of the 35 other journaling apps we grade, and level with 4.

Is Zinnia good value for money?

ToolGPA grades Zinnia C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $3.66 for the category: 8 of the 21 others that charge start lower.

Could I make my own version of Zinnia?

A journal at its plainest is dated entries of text and photos. You could make the core of Zinnia for yourself: daily notes, templates and calendar.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Zinnia’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 Zinnia's own pages on 6 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-03-11.

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 Pixite Inc. Prices change, so check pixiteapps.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

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, "Zinnia: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 6, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/zinnia

Know someone choosing between journaling apps?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/zinnia/guide

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See our other guides

The best-graded journaling apps after Zinnia, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Zinnia’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. Zinnia is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Pixite Inc. Prices and plans change: check pixiteapps.com before you buy.