Comparison

Mood Journal vs FlowTimer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mood Journal

This app provides a daily space for setting intentions, tracking emotions, and practicing gratitude. It helps users cultivate mindfulness, gain emotional clarity, and build resilience through simple daily reflections. The experience is designed to be private, secure, and free from ads.

Highlights
  • Daily intention setting
  • Three-step mood check-in
  • Gratitude journaling tool
  • End-of-day reflection
  • Mood trend insights
  • Thoughtful daily notifications
Features
Read full description

Some thoughts won't stop. Some worries circle until you can't sleep. Just for Today is a gentle, science-backed journal that helps you put them down — one day at a time. 100% private. No account. No cloud. Your journal stays on your device, where it belongs. Inspired by Sybil F. Partridge's 1916 poem of the same name, Just for Today is a quiet invitation to live one day with intention. A century later, the idea still works. NEW IN V2 • Pause the Worry A guided 5-step flow rooted in Dale Carnegie's "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and decades of CBT research. Name the worry. Picture the worst case. Find what's realistic. Accept what is. Take one small action. Structured worry processing has been shown to reduce anxiety by up to 35%. • Thought Release Write a thought that's weighing on you, then symbolically release it. We never show you the words again — only your release count. Based on Pennebaker's expressive writing research and ACT cognitive defusion. Externalizing thoughts has been shown to reduce rumination by up to 40%. EVERY DAY, IN A FEW MINUTES • Daily Intention Set a small, kind commitment for the day. "Today, I will be patient with myself." Implementation intentions are proven to double follow-through. • Mood Check-In Name what you feel in three gentle steps. Affect labeling — putting feelings into words — has been shown to reduce amygdala activity by around 50%. • Gratitude Log Note three small things. Gratitude journaling improves sleep by 25%, exercise by 33%, and rewires attention toward what's good. • Evening Reflection End the day with a soft look back. What stayed close to your intention? What can you let go of? • Insights Watch patterns emerge over time. The people you mention. The themes that recur. The days you feel best. The more you write, the more you discover about yourself. WHY PEOPLE STAY • 100% on-device. No tracking, no ads, no account. Your journal is yours alone. • Designed to be calm — soft sounds, gentle prompts, no streaks that punish you for missing a day. • Backed by 60+ years of psychology research, from Pennebaker to Hayes to Carnegie. • Available in English, Português, and Español. HOW IT WORKS 1. Open the app. Set today's intention in ten seconds. 2. Check in when you need to — write a worry, release a thought, name a feeling, log a gratitude. 3. At day's end, reflect. Tomorrow is another day. THE PROMISE We will never sell your data. We will never show ads. We will never ask you to do more than today asks of you. Download Just for Today and begin — just for today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

FlowTimer

Features
Read full description

- Overview FlowTimer is a minimalist sand timer designed to help you feel the passage of time — not measure it by numbers. Instead of loud alarms or ticking clocks, FlowTimer creates a soft, visual flow that guides you through focus, meditation, or short breaks. Whether you're working, breathing, or relaxing, FlowTimer helps you find your rhythm — quietly and beautifully. - Why FlowTimer Calm Focus: A clean, distraction-free timer for study, meditation, or deep work. Visual Flow: Watch time flow like sand, creating a natural sense of focus. Custom Duration: Set your own minutes and seconds easily. Mood Themes: Choose from calm color moods like Soft Sand, Forest Calm, or Dawn Glow. No noise, no stress: Perfect for mindful moments, without alarms or ads. - Perfect for Pomodoro or Focus Sessions Meditation & Mindfulness Practice Short Breaks or Breathing Exercises Kids’ screen time or calming activities Gentle reminders to pause & reset - Features Minimalist hourglass animation Custom session lengths (1–60 minutes) Quick start presets (1, 3, 5, 10, 30, 60 min) 3 calm color moods Light & Dark Mode support Works completely offline

Screenshots

Mood Journal4 screens
FlowTimer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FlowTimer at none against Mood Journal's 2. Mood Journal's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mood Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. FlowTimer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Mood Journal versus FlowTimer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMood JournalFlowTimer
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (17 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings17 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRai AdrianoHaeseong Jung

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Mood Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Weekly Support$1.997 Days
  • Yearly Support$19.991 Year
None

FlowTimer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mood Journal free?
Mood Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FlowTimer free?
FlowTimer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Mood Journal or FlowTimer have ads?
FlowTimer shows ads; Mood Journal does not.
Which is updated more often, Mood Journal or FlowTimer?
Mood Journal ships an update every 3 weeks, and FlowTimer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Mood Journal was updated on October 6, 2026 and FlowTimer on September 22, 2026.

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