# Satoru - Journal & Mindfulness — AI Guides. Private by Design.

> AI-guided journaling and mindfulness with philosophical and contemplative insights. (iPhone/iPad app by Neil David Howard Jr..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satoru-journal-and-mindfulness/id6761320255 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Neil David Howard Jr.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1879054051)
- Category: Health & Fitness, Lifestyle
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.1 · 93 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-07-03
- Data updated: 2026-08-17
- Monetization: freemium
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satoru-journal-and-mindfulness/id6761320255/reviews.md

## What is Satoru?

Satoru pairs you with guides drawn from philosophy, contemplative traditions, and modern practice. Marcus Aurelius on discipline. Seneca on resilience. A CBT Guide on reframing your thought patterns. A Pragmatic Buddhist on seeing clearly without judgment. Each responds to your journal entries with the honest, nuanced perspective they're known for.

Guides With a Point of View
Choose from philosophers (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Albert Camus), contemplatives (Shunryu Suzuki, Lao Tzu, Pragmatic Buddhist), and practitioners (Carl Jung, CBT Guide), or create your own custom guide. Each one responds to what you actually wrote, grounded in the perspective they're known for.

Guided Journal Sessions
Start your day with a Morning Intention or wind down with an Evening Reflection. Dive deeper with Reflect mode: have a real conversation with your chosen guide during any journal session.

Pattern Intelligence
Over time, Satoru identifies patterns across your entries: what triggers your worst days, what precedes your best ones, what you keep avoiding, and what's quietly changing for the better.

Track What Matters
Log mood, energy, anxiety, sleep, meditation, medication, and more. See trends with interactive charts, track your streak, and discover how different factors correlate with your emotional state.

Meditate & Breathe
Built-in guided meditation timer. Five breathing exercise patterns including Box Breathing, 4-7-8 Sleep, and Coherent Breathing.

Private by Design
Built by an application security professional. Your entries are encrypted at rest and in transit, accessible only to you. No third-party analytics. No training on your data. Your data is never sold or shared.

Premium Features
Premium starts with a 7-day free trial. The free tier stays free.
- AI-guided reflections during journal sessions
- All 18 AI guide personas, plus a custom guide you create
- Advanced mood analyses, including shifts and signals
- Appointment prep PDF export
- Higher monthly usage limits

This is a daily practice of honest reflection, guided by the best minds in human history, in a space that's truly, verifiably yours.

Find your clarity with Satoru.

Terms of Use (EULA): https://satoru.ink/terms.html
Privacy Policy: https://satoru.ink/privacy-policy.html

## Key features

- AI-guided journal reflections
- Philosophical and contemplative guides
- Mood and habit tracking
- Guided meditation and breathing exercises
- Pattern intelligence for insights
- Private and encrypted journaling

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Refuge Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Refuge Premium | $99.99 | per year |


## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satoru-journal-and-mindfulness/id6761320255/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Daily Game Changer

*2026-07-12*

I've added Satoru into my morning coffee and nightly wind-down routines. Honestly, it’s a total game-changer.

Instead of staring at a blank screen trying to figure out what to write, I get to actually chat through my day with AI guides modeled after Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, or a CBT coach. Sitting down with a "Morning Intention" really locks in my mindset for the day, and doing an "Evening Reflection" before sleep is the best way to clear my head. It’s private, zero pressure, and has hands-down become the favorite part of my daily routine.

## Frequently asked questions about Satoru

### What is Satoru?

Satoru is a journaling and mindfulness app that uses AI guides inspired by philosophy and contemplative traditions. It helps users reflect on their thoughts, track their moods, and practice breathing exercises in a private environment.

### What are the premium features in Satoru?

Premium features include AI-guided reflections during journal sessions, access to all 18 AI guide personas plus custom guides, advanced mood analyses, appointment prep PDF export, and higher monthly usage limits. A 7-day free trial is available.

### How does Satoru ensure privacy?

Satoru is built with privacy in mind. Journal entries are encrypted at rest and in transit, accessible only to the user. The app states there is no third-party analytics, no training on user data, and data is never sold or shared.

### What kind of guides are available in Satoru?

Guides are drawn from philosophy (Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Albert Camus), contemplative traditions (Shunryu Suzuki, Lao Tzu, Pragmatic Buddhist), and modern practice (Carl Jung, CBT Guide). Users can also create custom guides.

### Does Satoru have ads?

No, Satoru does not have advertisements. The app is free to use with optional premium features.

### What devices does Satoru support?

Satoru is available on Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It is designed for a seamless experience across these devices.

### How often is Satoru updated?

The latest version, 1.1, was released on July 15, 2026, indicating recent development activity. Updates typically bring new features, performance improvements, and bug fixes.

### What is the age rating for Satoru?

Satoru has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in journaling and mindfulness.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.2 — 2026-08-10

Fixes throughout, from two full reviews of the app: one across the whole codebase, and one focused on the Apple Watch and widgets.

Apple Watch
• A check-in made after you switch accounts now lands in the account you are signed into, rather than the one you signed out of.
• Check-ins for days you had not opened in a while are no longer lost.
• The watch refreshes when you raise your wrist instead of showing an older value.
• Breathing sessions now mark the day as Meditated, the same way meditation does.

Everywhere else
• Creating an account, signing back in, and restoring an encrypted backup are all more reliable.
• Journal sessions and meditations land on today rather than on a day you were browsing.
• Guide conversations survive a lost connection instead of disappearing.
• The check-in sheet follows along as you fill it in, and closes itself when you are done.
• Your mood stays hidden on the lock screen widget until you unlock.
• History and Insights keep up as you add entries.

### 1.1 — 2026-07-15

Exports now reach the places you actually keep things. Your encryption key file, your encrypted backup, and your PDF exports go through the share sheet, so they can land in a cloud drive, in Files, or in an email to a care provider. PDFs export as real PDF files.

Check in from your home screen. A new widget and a Siri shortcut let you log a mood in one tap, without opening the app.

Your guides can speak. Replies can be read aloud, and you can dictate an entry instead of typing it.

A thorough accessibility pass. VoiceOver labels across the app and the Apple Watch app, stronger color contrast on every theme, and text sizing that respects your settings.

Premium now starts with a 7-day free trial.

Fixes: pattern analysis no longer loses text if you switch cards while it is still writing. Journal entries can be selected and copied, including the reflections inside them. Signing in with Apple no longer leaves you looking at an empty journal.

### 1.0.7 — 2026-07-03

No release notes.

## More apps by Neil David Howard Jr.

- [StreetShare](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/streetshare/id6759815885)
- [Wrevvy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wrevvy/id6791344410)
- [Drivey Car!](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drivey-car/id6791788958)

All apps by Neil David Howard Jr.: https://appshunter.io/developer/1879054051

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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 2026-08-17.*