Are there other good journaling apps for iPhone?

Yes. Day One is the most popular dedicated journaling app with encryption and cross-platform support. Journey works on nearly every platform. Apple Notes works as a simple, no-frills journal. OhDiary is a free web-based diary that works on any device.

What should I look for in a journaling app?

Focus on where you want to write (phone only or multiple devices), privacy (encryption and app lock), simplicity (how fast you can start a new entry), and whether you can export your data if you ever want to leave.

What is the journaling app on iPhone?

Q: What is the journaling app on iPhone?

Since iOS 17, every iPhone includes Apple's Journal app. It suggests writing prompts based on your photos, workouts, and music, and entries are end-to-end encrypted on your device. It is iPhone-only though — no iPad, Mac, or web version.

Apple shipped a Journal app with iOS 17. It's decent. But it's not the only way to keep a diary on your phone.

Apple Journal

Since iOS 17, every iPhone comes with an app called Journal. It uses on-device machine learning to suggest writing prompts based on your photos, workouts, music, and places you've been. Entries are end-to-end encrypted and stay on your device.

It's a solid starting point if you've never journaled before. But it's iPhone-only — no iPad app, no Mac app, no web version. If you switch phones or want to write from a computer, you're stuck.

The alternatives

There are plenty of other ways to journal on an iPhone. Here are the ones worth knowing about:

Day One

The most well-known journaling app. Polished, with photo and audio support, location and weather tracking, and end-to-end encryption. Most features need a paid subscription.

iPhone · Mac · Android

Journey

Works across basically everything. Mood tracking, writing prompts, daily reminders. If you care about journaling from any device, Journey covers its bases.

iPhone · Android · Mac · Windows · Web

Apple Notes

Not a journaling app, but plenty of people use it as one. Already on your phone, syncs via iCloud. No mood tracking, no prompts — just a blank page.

iPhone · Mac · Web

GoodNotes

The pick if you prefer writing by hand. Excellent handwriting recognition, searchable notes, great with Apple Pencil. More notebook than journal, but for handwriters it's hard to beat.

iPhone · iPad · Mac

What actually matters

Forget feature checklists. The journaling app you'll actually use is the one that gets out of your way. A few things that matter more than most:

Where do you write? If it's only ever your phone, Apple Journal is fine. If you want to write from a laptop too, you need something cross-platform.
Privacy. A diary only works if you can be honest. Look for encryption and a lock on the app.
Simplicity. If it takes more than a few seconds to start a new entry, you'll stop using it.
Getting your data out. You might write in this thing for years. Make sure you can export your entries if you ever want to leave.

The best journaling app is the one you open every day. Don't overthink it — just start writing.

What if you didn't need an app at all?

Just reply to an email. That's your diary.

OhDiary sends you a short email every day. You reply with whatever's on your mind. That reply becomes your journal entry. No app to open, no habit to build — it's already in your inbox.

Try it free