Best Journaling Therapy Apps

225+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.8 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated May 2026

Looking for free journaling therapy apps? 20 of our 225+ tracked titles are free to download — no subscription, no trial. The rest are premium picks worth paying for.

Top Picks for Journaling Therapy

Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker#1

Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker by Relaxio s.r.o.

Private Diary, Health, Habits
Editor's Choice
🌟 Lifestyle
4.8😊(60K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 1
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 2
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 3
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 4
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 5
Daylio Journal - Mood Tracker screenshot 6

This app helps you track your moods and activities to understand your well-being. It offers a private micro-diary experience without requiring extensive typing, allowing you to identify happiness triggers and build positive habits.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 👍 Customizable moods and activities
  • 📊 Helpful statistics and analytics
  • 🗓️ Consistent daily logging

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Backup feature locked behind premium
  • 🔍 Limited mood/activity options in free version
  • 📱 No Apple Watch app
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work#2

Prompted Journal - Shadow Work by Oatmeal Apps

Private journaling for therapy
Strong Contender
🌟 Lifestyle
4.8😊(6.9K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 1
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 2
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 3
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 4
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 5
Prompted Journal - Shadow Work screenshot 6

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.

What We Love

  • 💖 Great for self-reflection
  • 🔒 No ads or data collection
  • 👍 Simple and user-friendly interface
  • 🤗 Helpful and thought-provoking prompts

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Issues with editing/deleting past entries
  • 🔍 Lack of search/filter functionality
  • 📱 Compatibility issues on larger screens
Zenfulnote: Journal & Heal#3

Zenfulnote: Journal & Heal by Zenfulnote LLC

The Shadow Work Journaling App
Worth Considering
💪 Health & Fitness
4.8😊(3K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Zenfulnote: Journal & Heal screenshot 1
Zenfulnote: Journal & Heal screenshot 2
Zenfulnote: Journal & Heal screenshot 3

This app guides users through shadow work journaling to foster self-discovery and emotional healing. It offers tools to track emotional patterns, engage with inner 'shadow characters,' and access guided meditations and journaling prompts for personal growth.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🌟 Transformative and empowering
  • 👍 Enjoyable way to capture moods
  • 💡 Unique and curated content

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
  • 💰 Subscription-based with limited free features
  • 🤔 Some confusing emotion options

More Journaling Therapy apps to explore

4
Journal & Mood Tracker - Halo
Journal & Mood Tracker - Halo
Journal & Mood Tracker - Halo
Private Diary for Mindfulness
Free

This app provides a private space for daily journaling to improve mindfulness and self-discovery. It offers guided reflections, helpful prompts, and voice recording to help users understand their thoughts, emotions, and habits. Designed with input from psychologists, it utilizes proven techniques to foster a happier life.

Guided reflections by experts3-step daily check-inVoice-recorded entries
🌟 Lifestyle
(1.1K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Thera AI Mental Health Journal
Thera AI Mental Health Journal
Thera AI Mental Health Journal
CBT thought diary & gratitude
Free

This app serves as a personal mental health tracker and journal. It offers tools for mood tracking, gratitude practice, and analyzing fears to promote self-development and emotional well-being. Features include a wishes journal, a mood board, and a secure, confidential diary with fingerprint lock.

CBT thought diaryGratitude journalWishes journal
💪 Health & Fitness
(151)
free with in-app purchases
6
stoic. mental health journal
stoic. mental health journal
stoic. mental health journal
AI Self Care & Daily Gratitude
Free

This app guides users through daily preparation and reflection to improve mental well-being. It offers journaling prompts, habit tracking, mood monitoring, and various mental health tools like meditation and breathing exercises. Users can also journal via voice notes or pictures.

Morning preparation & evening reflectionGuided journaling with promptsMood and habit tracking
💪 Health & Fitness
(35K)
freemium
7
My Diary - Journal with Lock
My Diary - Journal with Lock
My Diary - Journal with Lock
Journaling Diary with password
Free

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.

Password-protected diaryAdd photos and drawingsCustomizable themes and backgrounds
🌟 Lifestyle
(28K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Mindsera: Daily AI Journaling
Mindsera: Daily AI Journaling
Mindsera: Daily AI Journaling
Reflect, CBT & Self-Care Diary
Free

This smart diary enhances mental health and cognitive skills by reflecting on your thoughts, boosting emotional intelligence, and uncovering hidden patterns. It offers AI-powered insights, customizable reflections, and voice journaling for a personalized self-care experience.

AI-powered reflective journalingCBT and self-care toolsUncover hidden patterns and insights
💪 Health & Fitness
(230)
free with in-app purchases
9
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary
Day One: Daily Journal & Diary
Private Gratitude Journaling
Free

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.

Unlimited text entriesRich text formattingPhoto and video support
💪 Health & Fitness
(117K)
freemium
10
UpLife: CBT Therapy, Self Care
UpLife: CBT Therapy, Self Care
UpLife: CBT Therapy, Self Care
Anxiety Relief & Mindfulness
Free

This app offers tools for emotional balance and personal growth, including guided journeys, AI mood tracking, habit formation, meditations, and self-reflection exercises. It's based on CBT principles to help users understand emotions and build healthier habits in under 15 minutes daily.

Guided Journeys for stress managementAI-Based Mood TrackingHabit Tracker with reminders
💪 Health & Fitness
(1.4K)
free with in-app purchases
11
Clarity: CBT Self Help Journal
Clarity: CBT Self Help Journal
Clarity: CBT Self Help Journal
Mood Tracker, Therapy, ADHD
Free

This app helps manage stress, anxiety, and low mood through AI-infused journaling, mood tracking, and guided exercises. It offers tools to reframe negative thoughts, build resilience, and foster personal growth with science-backed techniques.

AI-infused journaling and chatbotMood, emotion, and activity trackingGuided journals for self-awareness
🏥 Medical
(29K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Voidpet Garden: Mental Health
Voidpet Garden: Mental Health
Voidpet Garden: Mental Health
Daily Journal & Mood Tracker
Free

This app transforms your mental health journey into a magical adventure. Track your moods, journal your thoughts, and grow a virtual garden populated by creatures representing your emotions. It offers guided prompts and exercises to help you understand and manage anxiety, depression, and stress.

Mood tracking and progress visualizationGuided journaling prompts (CBT, DBT inspired)Gratitude journaling
💪 Health & Fitness
(5.7K)
free with in-app purchases
13
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Reflectly - Journal & AI Diary
Mood Tracker & Daily Quotes
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
14
Rosebud: AI Journal & Diary
Rosebud: AI Journal & Diary
Rosebud: AI Journal & Diary
Daily Self-Care & Habits
Free

This AI-powered companion offers a guided journaling experience to enhance self-care and emotional wellness. It provides personalized prompts, feedback, and insights based on your entries, helping you manage stress and gain clarity.

Interactive daily diary with real-time guidanceGuided journals with evidence-based frameworksVoice journaling in 20 languages
💪 Health & Fitness
(3.1K)
free with in-app purchases
15
Clearful - Journal & Diary
Clearful - Journal & Diary
Clearful - Journal & Diary
Journaling for Personal Growth
Free

This app provides a secure and private space to explore your thoughts, emotions, and experiences through journaling. It offers tools to express yourself with text, photos, and audio, organize entries with rich formatting, and rediscover past moments. Guided journals and habit-building features support personal growth and mental well-being.

Text, photo, and audio journalingRich text formatting optionsRediscover past journal entries
💪 Health & Fitness
(3K)
free with in-app purchases
16
Heartspring Journal
Heartspring Journal
Heartspring Journal
Formerly Talkbook
Free

This app helps you understand your emotions by analyzing your written or recorded journal entries. It identifies hidden feelings and organizes your thoughts by topic and emotion, fostering self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

Emotion analysis from text and videoPersonalized reflection promptsSearchable emotional history
💪 Health & Fitness
(6.5K)
freemium
17
Good Things gratitude journal
Good Things gratitude journal
Good Things gratitude journal
Daily bullet journaling, calm.
Free

Cultivate a daily gratitude habit with this simple journal. Focus on positive moments to improve well-being and foster self-reflection. Share experiences and enhance sleep quality through mindful journaling.

Daily gratitude journalingCultivate positive habitSelf-reflection for well-being
💪 Health & Fitness
(1.7K)
free with in-app purchases
18
Reflect - guided daily journal
Reflect - guided daily journal
Reflect - guided daily journal
Self reflection journaling
Free

This app provides a guided journaling experience to help you capture thoughts and feelings, fostering self-awareness and a more positive outlook. It intelligently guides your reflections with structured topics and questions based on proven psychological methods.

Guided reflection topics and questionsDaily check-ins with yourselfLibrary of self-reflection topics
💪 Health & Fitness
(360)
subscription
19
Journey - Diary, Journal
Journey - Diary, Journal
Journey - Diary, Journal
Daily Motivation & Journal
Free

This app helps you capture memories, express yourself through writing, and track your emotions. It offers tools for creating rich journal entries, collaborative journaling, and secure storage. Enhance your experience with templates, plugins, and reminders for a more mindful and organized life.

Capture memories with photos, videos, and audioRich text editor with formatting optionsMood tracking and emotional fluctuation analysis
🌟 Lifestyle
(5K)
freemium
20
Justly: AI Journal, AI Therapy
Justly: AI Journal, AI Therapy
Justly: AI Journal, AI Therapy
Thoughts Clarity & Video Diary
Free

This app offers AI-powered guided journaling to help you understand your thoughts and emotions. It transforms your entries into structured summaries, identifies patterns, and provides weekly mental health reports. Choose from various interaction styles and use templates for specific needs.

AI-guided journaling sessionsAutomatic session summariesMood and emotional trend analysis
🌟 Lifestyle
(118)
free with in-app purchases