Comparison

BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker vs Self Reflection Journal

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

Head to head
About

BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker

Features
Read full description

We never see what you write: everything stays on your device. BrightLog is a private journal, a mood tracker and a feelings wheel in one calm app β€” with a gratitude pot, goals and habits you check in with each day, daily nudges for self-care, insights about you, therapy preparation, a meditation timer and home-screen widgets, all for your mental wellness. PRIVACY FIRST We never see what you write. Your journal lives only on your device, and no BrightLog server ever receives it. No account is needed: many people never sign in, so their journal never leaves the device and the AI is never involved. Sign in only if you want backup, which goes only to your own iCloud, where we cannot access it, or AI insights, which work only after you sign in and give your explicit approval, and never send photos, voice notes or files. App Lock keeps it behind Face ID, Touch ID or your device’s screen lock. YOUR MOOD, IN ONE TAP Tap how the day felt β€” Awesome, Good, Not sure, Bad, Terrible β€” and get on with your life. A mood tracker that takes seconds, with no streak guilt. NAME WHAT YOU FEEL Then the feelings wheel helps you name it exactly: 7 core emotions, 41 shades, 82 precise words. Proud. Powerless. Hopeful. Overwhelmed. Name it, and you can work with it. A JOURNAL THAT HOLDS THE WHOLE MOMENT Write freely, or speak and watch your words appear. Attach photos, videos, voice notes and documents. Search every journal entry instantly and see your month at a glance in the calendar. A POT FOR THE GOOD THINGS Drop a sentence, a photo or a video into your Gratitude Pot β€” once it holds ten, BrightLog hands one back to you each day. GOALS AND HABITS, ONE CHECK-IN AT A TIME Start from ten Goal ideas β€” nine evidence-based starting points, such as better sleep, small mood-lifting actions and facing fears step by step, plus Take my medication, a daily reminder at a time you choose β€” or build your own. Check in with one tap, rate how a task felt and see What lifts you. Plan around obstacles, pick any 3 days a week, or take a break: nothing counts as missed. YOUR WEEK AT A GLANCE This week sits at the top of Goals. Open Your week for a ring per goal, the last twelve weeks side by side, and next week’s plan: keep, adjust or pause each task. DAILY NUDGES FOR SELF-CARE Gentle self-care reminders through your day: a glass of water, a stretch, a minute outside, a kind word. You choose how many and when. Tap Done, Later or Not today β€” every Done is a moment of care. QUESTION THE THOUGHT A thought record on any journal entry: what happened, what you thought, the facts for and against, and how it looks now. Learn to spot 16 unhelpful thinking styles. SIT WITH IT A meditation timer from 5 to 30 minutes, with eleven calm soundtracks or silence, and 16 on-screen prompts for breath, body scan and grounding. It all works offline. INSIGHTS ABOUT YOU Sign in and BrightLog summarizes your month and your year in your own language: what kept coming up, what shifted, and one small habit to try. Five views of your mental wellness β€” Story, Heatmap, Trend, Wheel and Mood: your year in pixels. Export any of it as a PDF. WALK INTO THERAPY PREPARED Build a six-part therapy preparation from the dates you choose and take it as a PDF, so your therapist sees the pattern, not just the worst day. The Experts tab lists psychologists and counselors near you, ranked by distance, never by who paid. ON YOUR HOME SCREEN Three widgets: start today’s mood check-in with one tap on a face, keep your streak and badges a tap away, and see today’s habits and what’s done. THIRTY BADGES, NOBODY WATCHING Quiet milestones for journaling, mood, gratitude, goals and meditation. No leaderboards. GOOD FOR - A private journal and mood diary you’ll actually want to open - Tracking mood and mental wellness through anxiety, stress or a hard season - Preparing for therapy with real notes Dark mode, 20 languages, on iPhone and iPad.

About

Self Reflection Journal

Features
Read full description

Self Reflection Journal is a private space for understanding your feelings, thoughts, relationships, and emotional patterns. Some days you know exactly what you feel. Other days everything is mixed: a message you want to send, a conversation you keep replaying, a feeling you cannot name, or a thought that keeps coming back. Self Reflection Journal helps you slow down and write with more clarity. Instead of starting with a blank page, you can use gentle reflection prompts, emotional check-ins, and guided writing practices to understand what is happening inside you. What you can do Check in with yourself Track your emotional state through three simple axes: mood, energy, and connection. Move the sliders and notice what changes from day to day. Write private journal entries Save thoughts, feelings, conversations, relationship reflections, difficult moments, and honest notes you do not need to send to anyone. Use guided reflection prompts When you do not know what to write, open a thoughtful question and start from there. Prompts are designed for self-reflection, emotional clarity, boundaries, relationships, letting go, and inner support. Notice emotional patterns See simple insights based on your entries, including frequent emotions, writing patterns, and emotional trends over time. Protect your journal Use PIN, Face ID, or device biometrics to keep your private space more secure. Write your way Use text or voice input when it feels easier to speak than type. Choose your visual style Pick a soft theme that matches your mood: warm, gentle, calm, or darker and more private. Premium features Self Reflection Journal Premium unlocks: unlimited journal entries; full library of reflection prompts; relationship journal; breakup journal; extended insights; PDF export; PIN / Face ID protection; no ads. A gentle note Self Reflection Journal is a personal journaling and self-reflection app. It is not a medical, psychological, or psychotherapy service. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace professional support. Use it as a private space to pause, write, understand yourself better, and return to your own voice. Terms of Use: https://maksastera.com/apps/psychological-diary/terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://maksastera.com/apps/psychological-diary/privacy-policy.html

Screenshots

BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker4 screens
Self Reflection Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker at none against Self Reflection Journal's 3. BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). Self Reflection Journal's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Self Reflection Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker ships an update every 6 days, Self Reflection Journal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences Β· 2 level
BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker versus Self Reflection Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrightLog Journal Mood TrackerSelf Reflection Journal
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo β€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS16.013.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size105 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCristian MiliaMaksym Andriienko

In-app purchases

None

BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Self Reflection Journal

Subscriptions2
  • Premium month$2.991 Month
  • Premium Year$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$22.99

Questions

Is BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker free?
BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Self Reflection Journal free?
Self Reflection Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker or Self Reflection Journal have ads?
Self Reflection Journal shows ads; BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker does not.
Which is updated more often, BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker or Self Reflection Journal?
BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker ships an update every 6 days, and Self Reflection Journal every 3 weeks. Most recently, BrightLog Journal Mood Tracker was updated on October 11, 2026 and Self Reflection Journal on October 15, 2026.

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