# FIVE minutes — One-time buy. No subscription

> Guided journaling app for mental well-being, reflection, and planning. (iPhone/iPad app by Johann Emrich.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-minutes/id1542504300 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Johann Emrich](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542504302)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
- Price: Free (on sale, was $3.99)
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 8 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2020-12-31
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-minutes/id1542504300/reviews.md

## What is FIVE minutes?

FIVE is a calm, private journaling app that helps you improve your wellbeing in just five minutes a day.

Pay once. Yours forever.
- No subscription, ever. Two simple one-time purchases: Core unlocks the daily journal — unlimited writing, your own templates, mood check-ins, reminders and iCloud sync. Everything adds handwriting, photos, mood insights over time, the widgets, writing via Siri and the Face ID lock.
- Try everything free for 7 days. Reading your entries — and exporting them — stays free forever.
- No ads. No trackers. No sign-up.
- Your entries stay private. They sync only through your own iCloud — we run no servers of our own, and we never see them.

What FIVE gives you more time to do:

Reflect:
- Build a gratitude practice into your daily routine, as recommended by leaders like Tony Robbins, Tim Ferriss and Oprah Winfrey.
- Look back on your day and learn from it.
- Keep space for your thoughts and everything on your mind.

Feel:
- Check in with one of five faces — one tap in the morning, one at night.
- Watch your weeks take shape: a gently narrated summary, a soft curve, a calendar of faces, a colour heatmap.
- Tap any day in the summary and the entry behind it opens.

Plan:
- Plan joyful activities and picture happy moments for the day ahead to get into the right mindset.
- Outline new ideas for your personal growth.

Get inspired:
- Each day brings a quote from inspiring thinkers to reflect on — on your Home Screen too, as a widget.

Make it yours:
- Customise your journal to fit your ideas.
- Change the questions to suit your needs.
- Add blocks and rows; use multi-line or single-line, numbered or unnumbered text fields.
- Write and sketch by hand with Apple Pencil, and keep photos right inside your entries.
- Save your layout for every day to come.

Take it everywhere:
- Add a thought through Siri or Shortcuts without opening the app, and see from the Lock Screen whether today's entry is written.
- Jump to any day, month or year with the calendar.
- Lock FIVE behind Face ID, and export your whole journal as a readable file whenever you like.

Start with FIVE today if you want to:
- improve your overall wellbeing in the long run.
- reduce anxiety and negativity.
- get to know yourself better.
- welcome more joy into your life.

Privacy:
- FIVE uses iCloud to sync your private data between your devices. If you'd rather it didn't, disable iCloud for the app in the iOS settings.
- Your entries are private and visible only to you, synced through your own Apple-provided iCloud database.

## Key features

- Daily gratitude practice
- Reflection and learning from your day
- Planning joyful activities
- Inspirational daily quotes
- Customizable journal entries
- iCloud data synchronization

## Recent user reviews (7 of 7)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/five-minutes/id1542504300/reviews.md

### 1/5 — nicht mehr zu gebrauchen

*2022-09-24*

hallo appmacher!
23.9.22
die app ist nicht mehr zu gebrauchen !
app ist nutzlos da meine eingegebenen worte nicht gespeichert werden!
also kann weg, oder?
reagiert mal jemand und ändert das!?
mfg

**Developer response:** Hallo und vielen Dank für die ehrliche Rückmeldung – und Entschuldigung für den Frust! Du hast völlig recht: Es gab einen Fehler, bei dem Einträge verloren gehen konnten, wenn die App im Hintergrund landete oder geschlossen wurde, während die Tastatur noch offen war. Genau das haben wir behoben: Es gibt jetzt ein automatisches Speichern beim Tippen sowie beim Wechseln in den Hintergrund. Das Update kommt mit der nächsten Version. Wir würden uns sehr freuen, wenn du FIVE dann noch eine Chance gibst! Herzliche Grüße, Johann

### 2/5 — Na ja…

*2022-08-31*

Apple Pencil fehlt und die Zitate sind immer nur auf Englisch. Ja, ich beherrsche die englische Sprache in Wort und Schrift, möchte aber wenigstens die Möglichkeit haben, deutschsprachige Zitate angezeigt zu bekommen. 

Lediglich das Design der App gefällt mir. Ansonsten -> klarer Fehlkauf.

**Developer response:** Danke für dein Feedback! Deutschsprachige Zitate waren ein häufiger Wunsch – und sie kommen: Mit dem nächsten Update gibt es das tägliche Zitat auf Deutsch. Herzliche Grüße, Johann

### 2/5 — Daten werden nicht gespeichert.

*2022-05-24*

Schöne App. Allerdings wurden meine Eingaben schon bei der zweiten Nutzung nicht gespeichert.

**Developer response:** Vielen Dank für dein Feedback und sorry für den Ärger! Der Fehler, durch den Eingaben verloren gehen konnten, ist behoben – FIVE speichert jetzt automatisch während des Schreibens und beim Schließen der App. Das kommt mit dem nächsten Update. Schön wär's, wenn du es dann nochmal ausprobierst! Herzliche Grüße, Johann

### 3/5 — Speicherprobleme

*2021-09-10*

die Speicherung der Eingaben ist nicht immer erfogreich ... manchmal bedarf es einer nochmaligen Eingabe ... ärgerlich

**Developer response:** Vielen Dank für den Hinweis und sorry für den Ärger! Das unzuverlässige Speichern ist behoben – Einträge werden jetzt automatisch beim Schreiben und beim Schließen der App gesichert, eine erneute Eingabe ist nicht mehr nötig. Kommt mit dem nächsten Update. Herzliche Grüße, Johann

### 3/5 — Toller Ansatz

*2021-03-28*

Der Ansatz ist super, allerdings fehlt mir hier die Möglichkeit meine Handschrift über den Apple Pencil zu verwenden. Wäre diese Funktion integriert, würde sich diese App von anderen Apps abheben und auch keinen Nachteil gegenüber analogen Journals heben. Ich würde die App dann sofort nutzen und sogar kaufen!

### 5/5 — Ich mag diese App

*2021-03-05*

Kein Abo - Danke! Backup und Sync über die iCloud - Danke! 

Schön fände ich noch, wenn es eine einfache Möglichkeit geben würde Emotionen (mit Icons) festzuhalten und einen Trend dazu anzuzeigen...!?

**Developer response:** Vielen Dank für das positive Feedback und die tollen Anregungen! Es freut uns sehr, dass die App Ihnen Freude bereitet. 
Wir haben Ihre Rückmeldung aufgenommen und werden eine Funktion mit Icons für die tägliche Stimmung entwickeln. 
Mit herzlichen Grüßen 
Johann

### 2/5 — Sprüche in Englisch

*2021-02-19*

. Leider etwas enttäuschend. Gerade die Sprüche sind in Englisch. Selbst Schiller. Ich konnte den Text auch nicht mit einem Absatz versehen Für mich leider unbrauchbar. Wenig Wahlmöglichkeiten.

**Developer response:** Vielen Dank, dass du dich gemeldet hast! Du hattest völlig recht – Zitate auf Deutsch gehören einfach dazu. Mit dem nächsten Update erscheint das Zitat des Tages auf Deutsch, und dank der anpassbaren Vorlagen sind jetzt auch eigene Absätze möglich. Wir hoffen, FIVE macht dir damit wieder Freude! Herzliche Grüße, Johann

## Frequently asked questions about FIVE minutes

### What is the main purpose of FIVE minutes?

FIVE minutes is designed to enhance mental well-being by facilitating daily reflection, gratitude practice, and planning. It aims to help users reduce anxiety, get to know themselves better, and welcome more joy into their lives.

### How does FIVE minutes help with anxiety?

The app encourages users to reflect on their day, practice gratitude, and plan positive activities. This structured approach can help shift focus away from negative thoughts and reduce feelings of anxiety and negativity over time.

### Can I customize the journal in FIVE minutes?

Yes, FIVE minutes offers extensive customization options. You can change the questions, add new blocks and rows, and choose between multi-line or single-line, numbered or unnumbered text fields to suit your personal preferences.

### How is my data protected in FIVE minutes?

Your journal entries are private and visible only to you. The app uses iCloud to synchronize data across your devices, which is stored within your private iCloud database provided by Apple. You can disable iCloud synchronization in your iOS settings if preferred.

### What devices is FIVE minutes available on?

FIVE minutes is available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It utilizes iCloud for seamless synchronization across these Apple devices.

### How often is FIVE minutes updated?

The latest version of FIVE minutes is 1.8.3, which was last updated on June 24, 2021. While specific update frequency isn't detailed, this indicates ongoing development and support.

### Does FIVE minutes have ads?

No, FIVE minutes does not contain advertisements. As a paid application, it offers an ad-free journaling experience.

### What is the cost of FIVE minutes?

FIVE minutes is a paid application and costs $1.99. This one-time purchase grants you access to all its features without any additional subscription fees or in-app purchases.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.1.0 — 2026-08-15

FIVE has learnt to listen — this release is all about how you feel.

• Mood, in one tap: add the mood block to your journal and check in with one of five faces, morning and evening. No scales, no forms.
• Your mood over time: a gently narrated look back at your weeks — a soft curve, a calendar of faces, a colour heatmap. Tap any day and the entry behind it opens.
• Handwriting: a block for the Apple Pencil (or your finger) — for the things a keyboard can't hold.
• Photos: place a photo block anywhere in your entry and keep the moment right next to the words.
• On your Home Screen: the quote of the day as a widget, in FIVE's own day and night moods; Lock Screen widgets show whether today's entry is written.
• "Hey Siri, add to my journal": a passing thought lands in today's notes without opening the app. Open today's entry from Siri, Shortcuts or Spotlight.
• Jump anywhere: the new calendar takes you straight to any day, month or year.
• Yours, always: export your whole journal as a readable file — and import it back any time. Optionally lock FIVE behind Face ID.

FIVE also starts faster and turns pages more smoothly.

One more thing: FIVE is free to start now. Seven days with everything in it, then a one-time unlock — no subscription, ever. If you already bought FIVE, nothing changes: it stays yours in full, with nothing to do.

Thank you for spending five minutes with us.

### 2.0.1 — 2026-08-11

FIVE has learnt to listen — this release is all about how you feel.

• Mood, in one tap: add the mood block to your journal and check in with one of five faces, morning and evening. No scales, no forms.
• Your mood over time: a gently narrated look back at your weeks — a soft curve, a calendar of faces, a colour heatmap. Tap any day and the entry behind it opens.
• Handwriting: a block for the Apple Pencil (or your finger) — for the things a keyboard can't hold.
• Photos: place a photo block anywhere in your entry and keep the moment right next to the words.
• On your Home Screen: the quote of the day as a widget, in FIVE's own day and night moods; Lock Screen widgets show whether today's entry is written.
• "Hey Siri, add to my journal": a passing thought lands in today's notes without opening the app. Open today's entry from Siri, Shortcuts or Spotlight.
• Jump anywhere: the new calendar takes you straight to any day, month or year.
• Yours, always: export your whole journal as a readable file — and import it back any time. Optionally lock FIVE behind Face ID.

FIVE also starts faster and turns pages more smoothly.

One more thing: FIVE is free to start now. Seven days with everything in it, then a one-time unlock — no subscription, ever. If you already bought FIVE, nothing changes: it stays yours in full, with nothing to do.

Thank you for spending five minutes with us.

### 1.15.1 — 2026-06-02

FIVE has been thoughtfully rebuilt — the same calm, private journaling, now better in every way.

• A refined editorial design: an elegant serif for prompts, dates and quotes, warmer typography, softer surfaces and gentle motion throughout.
• Rebuilt iCloud sync: your journal now mirrors through Apple's native iCloud — more reliably and quietly across all your devices, with a clear sync status in Settings.
• Gentle daily reminders: set your morning and evening times in a cleaner picker, and FIVE lets you know if notifications are switched off in iOS, so a reminder never quietly goes missing.
• Beautiful on iPad: a refined layout for large screens and landscape. Runs natively on Apple Silicon Macs, too.
• A quote that speaks your language: hand-curated, carefully verified English and German collections.
• Curious about a prompt? Tap it to see what it's for.
• Your entries save the moment you leave or close the app, so a thought is never lost.

Private by design: no account, no ads, no tracking — entries sync only through your own iCloud. Thank you for spending five minutes with us.

### 1.11.0 — 2026-05-26

A fresh new look for FIVE — the same calm, private journaling, beautifully refreshed.

• A new editorial design: an elegant serif for prompts, dates and quotes, warmer typography, softer surfaces and gentle motion throughout.
• Your daily quote now speaks your language, with a hand-curated German collection.
• Runs natively on Apple Silicon Macs.
• Steadier iCloud sync across your devices, and smoother template editing.
• Your entries save the moment you leave or close the app, so a thought is never lost.
• Private by design: no account, no ads, no tracking — entries sync only through your own iCloud.

Rebuilt for the latest iOS. Thank you for spending five minutes with us.

### 1.8.3 — 2021-06-24

Bug fixes
- Various smaller bugfixes

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## More apps by Johann Emrich

- [Dalbi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dalbi/id6762551640)

All apps by Johann Emrich: https://appshunter.io/developer/1542504302

## Related topics

[five minutes](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/five-minutes)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*