# Retro Journal — Save your life. Level up.

> Save your life. Level up. (iPhone/iPad app by Renato Balcazar.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-journal/id6761872055 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Renato Balcazar](https://appshunter.io/developer/1839106582)
- Category: Lifestyle, Entertainment
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.2 · 41 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-05-06
- Data updated: 2026-09-08
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/retro-journal/id6761872055/reviews.md

## What is Retro Journal?

PRESS START TO SAVE YOUR LIFE

Retro Journal turns your daily journaling into a retro gaming experience. Every entry is a "save point." Every big life moment is a "checkpoint." No XP grinding — just your thoughts, saved with style.

--- HOW IT WORKS ---

Write entries like save points. Had a good day? Save it. Rough morning? Save that too. Got promoted, finished a project, or had an epic moment? Mark it as a Checkpoint — your personal milestone.

--- WHY RETRO JOURNAL ---

Most journal apps feel like homework. Retro Journal feels like loading up your favorite retro game. Pixel art UI, 8-bit sound effects on every interaction, and that satisfying "SAVING..." animation that takes you back to the golden age of gaming.

--- FEATURES ---

- Entries & Checkpoints — Two types of saves for everyday moments and epic milestones
- Retro Timeline — Scroll through your life with pixel art cards and retro aesthetics
- 8-Bit Sound Effects — Satisfying blips and bloops on every tap (toggle on/off)
- Cloud Sync — Optional sync across all your devices (included, no extra cost)
- Export Anytime — Markdown with YAML frontmatter or JSON. Works with Obsidian
- Terminal Client — Free TUI client for power users who live in the command line
- Offline-First — Works without internet. Your data stays on your device
- No Ads. No Subscriptions. No Tricks — $5.99 one-time purchase after a 30-day free trial

--- YOUR DATA, YOUR RULES ---

Retro Journal is local-first. Your journal lives on your device. Cloud sync is optional and included at no extra cost. You can export everything to Markdown or JSON at any time — even during the free trial. We don't lock you in. We don't read your data. We don't sell your data.

--- PRICING ---

- 30-day free trial (full features, no credit card required)
- Just $5.99 — one-time purchase, no subscriptions, no in-app purchases
- All features included. All future updates included.

Questions? Reach us at renatojobal@gmail.com

Save your life. One entry at a time.

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Retro Journal Full Unlock | $5.99 | one-time |



## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.4.1 — 2026-09-05

New looks for your save file! Dress Retro Journal in a classic Game Boy or GBA color theme — pick your palette in Settings. We also reframed the trial into a friendlier free-vs-premium view, sharpened error messages so you always know what went wrong, and added a cooldown so verification emails never pile up. Keep saving your life, one entry at a time.

### 1.4.0 — 2026-09-03

Protect your saves! App-Lock is here: lock Retro Journal behind a PIN and unlock instantly with Face ID or Touch ID. Your journal stays hidden in the app switcher while locked, and if you ever forget your PIN, a secure recovery flow has your back. Plus stability improvements. Keep saving your life, one entry at a time.

### 1.3.9 — 2026-08-13

Retro Journal now speaks your language! Pick from 14 languages in Settings, and dates and times now follow your locale. Plus performance and stability improvements. Keep saving your life, one entry at a time.

### 1.3.7 — 2026-06-24

- New settings screen
- Releasing sync with desktop app

### 1.3.6 — 2026-05-17

Bug fixes and stability improvements. Thanks for testing!

## More apps by Renato Balcazar

- [NomadKit](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nomadkit/id6752362412)

All apps by Renato Balcazar: https://appshunter.io/developer/1839106582

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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 2026-09-08.*