Comparison

Clairo vs Shadow Work Journal

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

Head to head
About

Clairo

Features
Read full description

Clairo is not a coach. Not a therapist. Not a chatbot. Clairo is the sharpest sparring partner you'll ever have - always available, remembers everything, says what others won't. For people who pursue big goals. Entrepreneurs, leaders, athletes, everyone who knows that mental strength needs to be trained just like physical strength. What Clairo does: - Asks the right questions. Not the easy ones. The uncomfortable ones. The ones that take you to the next level. - Recognizes patterns in your thinking that you can't see yourself. - Creates your Mental Fingerprint. A precise profile of how you think, decide and react under pressure. - Measures your Mental Fitness with a self developed score. Clairo remembers. After 10 conversations, Clairo knows you better than most people in your life. She sees patterns before you do. She tells you what you don't want to hear — because that's what you need. At 5am before an important meeting. At 11pm when your mind won't stop. Clairo is there. Without any judgement. 3 conversations free. Then Clairo Pro for full clarity.

About

Shadow Work Journal

Explore hidden aspects of yourself through guided prompts and tools. Understand triggers, heal past wounds, and foster self-awareness. This private journal helps you gently uncover and integrate the parts of yourself you've kept in the dark.

Highlights
  • Guided journeys with 200+ prompts
  • Tools for processing charged moments
  • Core belief exploration
  • Parts work exercises
  • Daily mood and trigger tracking
  • Private insights and emotional timeline
  • Voice note recording
Features
Read full description

Meet the parts of yourself you've kept in the dark. Penumbra is a private, beautifully simple shadow work journal that helps you understand your triggers, heal old wounds, and come home to who you really are — one honest prompt at a time. Shadow work is the practice of exploring the hidden parts of yourself: the fears, patterns, and emotions you learned to push away. Bringing them into the light is how real, lasting change begins. Penumbra makes that work approachable, gentle, and yours alone. — GUIDED JOURNEYS — 19 themed paths with 200+ deep, therapist-style prompts: Meet Your Shadow, Inner Child, Self-Sabotage, Fear & Anxiety, Anger, Relationships, Self-Worth, Forgiveness, Boundaries, Grief, Shame, Mother & Father Wounds, Money Stories, Work & Purpose, Perfectionism, Jealousy, Attachment, Identity, and more. — GUIDED TOOLS — • Guided Session — process a charged moment, step by step • Core Belief Explorer — trace a limiting belief to its root • Parts Work — meet a part of yourself with curiosity (IFS-inspired) • Multi-day Courses — Meet Your Inner Critic, Reparenting, Self-Compassion — TRACK & SEE PATTERNS — • Daily check-in: mood, energy and anxiety in 10 seconds • Trigger tracker: capture what set you off and why • Shadow archetypes: notice the Inner Critic, People-Pleaser and more • Private insights, weekly review, emotional timeline & trends — all on-device, no AI — REFLECT YOUR WAY — • A fresh daily prompt and a streak to keep you coming back • Write or record a voice note; tag mood, emotions and archetypes • Dream journal and daily grounding affirmations — YOURS ALONE — Everything stays on your device. Lock your journal behind Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. No accounts, no cloud, no one watching. — GENTLE & SAFE — Grounding exercises and crisis resources are one tap away. A soft, modern interface for dark and light mode, with a reminder you can set to any time. Meet your shadow. Reclaim your light. — PENUMBRA PRO — Unlock every guided journey and course, full insights, Face ID app lock, daily reminders, voice notes and export. Try Pro free for 3 days. • Yearly subscription with a 3-day free trial • Weekly subscription Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/allegrodigital/privacy-policy Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/allegrodigital/terms-of-use Penumbra is a self-reflection tool and is not a substitute for professional therapy or medical care. If you are in crisis, please reach out to a qualified professional or a local helpline.

Screenshots

Clairo4 screens
Shadow Work Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

Clairo and Shadow Work Journal are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Clairo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Shadow Work Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Clairo versus Shadow Work Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterClairoShadow Work Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNico OkperanAllegro Digital

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Clairo

Subscriptions2
  • Clairo Pro Monthly$8.991 Month
  • Clairo Pro Yearly$89.991 Year
2 purchases

Shadow Work Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Penumbra Pro$4.997 Days
  • Penumbra Pro3 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Clairo free?
Clairo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Work Journal free?
Shadow Work Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Clairo or Shadow Work Journal have ads?
Neither Clairo nor Shadow Work Journal shows ads.

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