Best Free Journaling App

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.7 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated July 2026

From beginner-friendly picks to power-user tools, our free journaling app list covers 250+ iPhone apps updated through July 2026. Compare ratings, prices, and screenshots in one place.

Compare top Free Journaling App (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1JournalJournalFree4.8★ (231K)NoNoAug 2026
2Day One: Daily Journal & DiaryDay One: Daily Journal & DiaryFree4.8★ (118K)NoYesAug 2026
3My Diary - Journal with LockMy Diary - Journal with LockFree4.7★ (28K)YesYesAug 2026
4Notebook - Diary & Journal AppNotebook - Diary & Journal AppFree4.7★ (14K)YesYesAug 2026
5DailyBean - simplest journalDailyBean - simplest journalFree4.8★ (70K)YesYesAug 2026
6Diary With PasswordDiary With PasswordFree4.7★ (27K)NoYesAug 2026
7My Daily Diary - Mood JournalMy Daily Diary - Mood JournalFree4.7★ (11K)YesYesAug 2026
8Planner & Journal - ZinniaPlanner & Journal - ZinniaFree4.6★ (55K)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Free Journaling App

Journal#1

Journal by Apple Inc.

Reflect on life’s moments
Editor's Choice
💪 Health & Fitness
4.8😊(231K ratings)
Free
Journal screenshot 1
Journal screenshot 2
Journal screenshot 3
Journal screenshot 4
Journal screenshot 5
Journal screenshot 6

Capture and reflect on life's moments with rich media like photos, videos, and audio. Intelligent suggestions and prompts help you start writing, while multiple journals and goal tracking support a consistent practice. Sync across devices for seamless access.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Journaling made easy
  • 🔒 Private and secure
  • 👍 Organized and intuitive
  • 👍 Helpful suggestions and prompts

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Cursor jumps around while typing
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🔍 Lack of search and filtering options
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary#2

Day One: Daily Journal & Diary by Bloom Built Inc

Private Gratitude Journaling
Strong Contender
💪 Health & Fitness
4.8😊(118K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#90in Health & Fitness
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 1
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 2
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 3
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 4
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 5
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary screenshot 6

Record your life with a private digital journal. Securely save text, photos, audio, and video. Features include reminders, prompts, and automatic data import to help you stay consistent and reminisce.

What We Love

  • 💻 Excellent journaling app
  • 🗓️ Ability to create multiple journals
  • 🎨 Customizable journal templates
  • 🔍 Powerful search and filtering

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Subscription model for premium features
  • 🗓️ Issues with syncing and data loss
  • 🖌️ Limited customization options
My Diary - Journal with Lock#3

My Diary - Journal with Lock by BetterApp Tech Co., Limited

Journaling Diary with password
Worth Considering
🌟 Lifestyle
4.7😊(28K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 1
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 2
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 3
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 4
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 5
My Diary - Journal with Lock screenshot 6

This app offers a secure and personalized digital journal for recording daily thoughts, memories, and emotions. Enhance entries with photos, themes, and mood tracking. It's designed to support mental well-being by providing a private space for self-reflection and emotional processing.

What We Love

  • 🔒 Secure with password, fingerprint, and security question options
  • 📝 Easy to write and express thoughts
  • 🎨 Customizable with themes, stickers, and photos
  • 🗓️ Helpful for tracking moods and daily activities

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Many features locked behind premium paywall
  • 🔍 Limited free theme and sticker options
  • 🐛 Issues with formatting, text editing, and photo placement

More Free Journaling App apps to explore

4
Notebook - Diary & Journal App
Notebook - Diary & Journal App
Notebook - Diary & Journal App
A diary that flips like a book
Free

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

Realistic page-turning effectOne page per day organizationiCloud sync and backup
📊 Productivity
(14K)
free with in-app purchases
5
DailyBean - simplest journal
DailyBean - simplest journal
DailyBean - simplest journal
Mood tracker, daily log, diary
Free

This app provides a simple and enjoyable way to log daily experiences and moods. Customize your journal with themes and icons, and gain insights into your patterns with analysis reports. Easily integrate health data and special moments.

Record in secondsFully customizable icons and blocksDecorate with themes
🌟 Lifestyle
(70K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Diary With Password
Diary With Password
Diary With Password
No Ads Journal Diary Notebook
Free

This app provides a private digital space to record daily thoughts, emotions, and life events. It offers robust security features like password and biometric locks, alongside tools for organizing, searching, and exporting your entries. Enjoy a customizable and ad-free journaling experience.

Password and biometric securityDaily entry loggingFull text search
📊 Productivity
(27K)
free with in-app purchases
7
My Daily Diary - Mood Journal
My Daily Diary - Mood Journal
My Daily Diary - Mood Journal
Mood Tracker & Daily Journal
Free

This app allows you to document your thoughts, feelings, and important moments. It offers extensive customization options, including stickers, voice notes, and images, to enhance your entries. Track your moods over time to gain emotional insights and ensure your private journal remains secure with password protection.

Capture thoughts and feelingsCustomize entries with stickers, voice notes, and imagesTrack moods with each journal entry
🌟 Lifestyle
(11K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Planner & Journal - Zinnia
Planner & Journal - Zinnia
Planner & Journal - Zinnia
Notebook & Creative Diary
Free

This app offers a creative digital journaling and planning experience with a vast library of stickers, templates, and tools. It supports natural handwriting, doodling, and integrates with digital calendars for enhanced productivity and self-care tracking. New content and features are added monthly.

Customizable digital studioMonthly content additionsCalendar and habit trackers
🌟 Lifestyle
(55K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work
Private journaling for therapy
Free

This app provides a guided journaling experience with over 190 prompts and "Dive Deeper" questions to encourage self-reflection and personal growth. It helps users establish a consistent self-care routine through daily reminders and offers privacy with no data storage required.

190+ journal prompts"Dive Deeper" questionsDaily reminders
🌟 Lifestyle
(6.9K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Self-Care Mood Tracker & CBT
Free

This AI-powered journaling app helps you track your mood, process thoughts, and improve mental well-being. It offers personalized prompts and insights based on your entries to encourage self-care and mindfulness.

AI-powered journalingMood tracking and analysisPersonalized prompts and insights
💪 Health & Fitness
(82K)
free with in-app purchases
11
Bujo - Bullet Journal&Planner
Bujo - Bullet Journal&Planner
Bujo - Bullet Journal&Planner
ADHD Daily Weekly Monthly Plan
Free

This app helps you track your mood, activities, and habits through a digital bullet journal. It offers a simple way to log your day, understand your patterns, and improve self-care with features like mood tracking, task management, and photo additions. Designed for easy daily use, it aims to support a healthier lifestyle.

Digital bullet journalingMood tracking and analysisDaily, weekly, and monthly planning
🌟 Lifestyle
(1.1K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Talk Journaling App
Talk Journaling App
Talk Journaling App
Your private voice journal
Free
🌟 Lifestyle
(0)
13
dyeary
dyeary
dyeary
Say it, and we feel it.
Free

This app allows you to create journal entries by speaking them aloud. It automatically transcribes your words, senses your mood, and identifies recurring themes. Enjoy weekly reviews and read-along playback of your entries.

Voice-to-text journalingMood sensingAutomatic theme identification
🌟 Lifestyle
(3)
freemium
14
Pages: Create Documents
Pages: Create Documents
Pages: Create Documents
Documents that stand apart
Free

Create visually appealing documents with a wide range of templates and editing tools. Enhance your work with multimedia, track changes, and collaborate seamlessly. Offers advanced features for writing, design, and presentation.

Apple-designed templatesAdd images, video, audioTrack changes and comments
📊 Productivity
(542K)
free
15
Daily Planner & To Do List
Daily Planner & To Do List
Daily Planner & To Do List
Week Planner, Routine Planner
Free

Organize your life with this all-in-one digital planner, journal, and to-do list. Manage tasks, habits, routines, and daily agendas with customizable templates and layouts. Export and share your plans easily.

1000+ planner and journal templatesFully customizable digital plannerDrag and drop planner elements
📊 Productivity
(10K)
free with in-app purchases
16
Simply Journaling
Simply Journaling
Simply Journaling
by Garnett Counseling Services, PC
Free
💪 Health & Fitness
(0)
17
Writn
Writn
Writn
Voice Journal, Written Journal
Free

This app transforms your spoken thoughts into written stories and physical books. Easily record voice notes, edit them into polished narratives, and create a printed keepsake of your memories. It's designed for capturing life's moments as they happen.

Voice journalingStory crafting toolsPrinted book creation
🌟 Lifestyle
(8)
free with in-app purchases
18
Daily Journal: One Page
Daily Journal: One Page
Daily Journal: One Page
One page a day. Just write.
Free
🌟 Lifestyle
(0)
19
Plai. Personal Journal
Plai. Personal Journal
Plai. Personal Journal
Capture thoughts, find clarity
Free
💪 Health & Fitness
(0)
20
JRNL Journaling Reimagined
JRNL Journaling Reimagined
JRNL Journaling Reimagined
by Michel Exinord
Free

This app provides a calm and private space for daily journaling, helping you build a consistent habit. It offers a clean writing interface, mood tracking, and gentle reflections. Unlock advanced features like goal setting and habit streaks with a subscription.

Clean and focused writing composerMood tagging for entriesDaily Verse of the Day and prompts
🌟 Lifestyle
(2)
freemium

FAQ about Free Journaling App

What is the best free journaling app for iPhone?
Journal tops our free journaling app ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 231K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Journal has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 250+ free journaling app on the iOS App Store as of July 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app allows you to capture and reflect on your daily moments and special events. You can write entries, add photos, videos, audio recordings, and even your state of mind. It provides journaling suggestions and prompts to help you get started and maintain a consistent practice.
Key features include intelligent journaling suggestions based on your iPhone usage, the ability to illustrate entries with rich media, handwriting and sketching capabilities, organization into multiple journals, habit tracking with streaks and insights, and secure syncing across iPhone, iPad, and Mac via iCloud.

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