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Best Novel Writing Journal Apps

228+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.5 avg rating
18 free apps
Updated July 2026

With an average user rating of 4.5★, the novel writing journal category is one of the App Store's strongest. Browse all 228+ apps we track, sorted so the most loved ones surface first.

Top Picks for Novel Writing Journal

Penzu#1

Penzu by Penzu Inc.

Secure Diary & Private Journal
Editor's Choice
📊 Productivity
4.2😐(2.5K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
Penzu screenshot 1
Penzu screenshot 2
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Penzu screenshot 4

This app provides a secure and private space for journaling, note-taking, and storing personal thoughts. It offers robust security features like password and PIN locks, encryption, and cloud syncing across devices. Users can also add photos and tags to their entries, making it a comprehensive digital diary.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Easy to use
  • 🔒 Secure and private
  • 📝 Convenient journaling on the go
  • 🗓️ Helpful reminders and date tracking

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔑 Password issues and lockout problems
  • 📁 Syncing and data loss issues
Werdsmith: Writing App#2

Werdsmith: Writing App by Werdsmith Pty Ltd

Write poetry, scripts, books
Strong Contender
📊 Productivity
4.7😊(7.8K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 1
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 2
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 3
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 4
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 5
Werdsmith: Writing App screenshot 6

This app transforms your devices into a writing studio, helping you overcome writer's block with AI-powered suggestions and build a consistent writing practice. It automatically handles formatting, allowing you to focus on your creative process.

What We Love

  • 📝 Helpful for writing stories and ideas
  • 🔒 Secure with password protection
  • ⏱️ Tracks writing progress and goals
  • 🧠 Inspires creativity with writing prompts

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Limited free features, need to pay for full access
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 💻 Syncing issues between devices
Scrivener#3

Scrivener by Literature & Latte

Worth Considering
📊 Productivity
4.2(2.5K ratings)
$23.99
#5in Productivity
Scrivener screenshot 1
Scrivener screenshot 2
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Scrivener screenshot 5

This app is a comprehensive writing tool designed for long-form manuscripts. It allows users to compose text in any order, manage research materials alongside their writing, and export to various formats. It supports flexible outlining and restructuring of content.

More Novel Writing Journal apps to explore

4
Paper: Writing App, Notes
Paper: Writing App, Notes
Paper: Writing App, Notes
Write a book novel poem script
Free

This app offers a clean and configurable writing environment for various creative projects. It supports Markdown and plain text, syncs with iCloud, and integrates with other tools. Users can publish drafts to popular blogging platforms and export documents in multiple formats.

Gorgeous writing spaceSilky-smooth typingDeep personalization (Pro)
📊 Productivity
(1.6K)
free with in-app purchases
5
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
6
Fortelling - Story Writing App
Fortelling - Story Writing App
Fortelling - Story Writing App
Book & novel: world plotting
Free

This app helps novelists plot and write their books by organizing story elements like characters, locations, and items. It offers tools for world-building, real-time collaboration, and writing statistics, along with weekly challenges to inspire creativity.

Advanced plotting toolsWorld-building for fictional universesStory element organization
📊 Productivity
(920)
free with in-app purchases
7
Notes, Journal, Diary: PenCake
Notes, Journal, Diary: PenCake
Notes, Journal, Diary: PenCake
Focus Journal & Diary Notes
Free

A minimalist writing app designed for focused journaling, storytelling, and personal expression. Enjoy a distraction-free interface with elegant typography and seamless cross-device syncing. Secure your work with auto-save and biometric protection.

Distraction-free interfaceElegant typographyCross-device syncing
🌟 Lifestyle
(103)
freemium
8
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
9
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
10
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
11
Sudowrite - AI Novel Writing
Sudowrite - AI Novel Writing
Sudowrite - AI Novel Writing
AI fiction writing & dictation
Free

This AI-powered writing assistant helps creative writers generate story ideas, write novels, and craft poetry. Improve your fiction writing anytime, anywhere with intelligent suggestions and content generation.

AI story idea generationNovel writing assistancePoetry crafting
🔧 Utilities
(332)
free with in-app purchases
12
Book Writer - Novel Writing
Book Writer - Novel Writing
Book Writer - Novel Writing
Book creator story writing app
Free

This app helps aspiring authors and writers organize their ideas, characters, and drafts into a complete book. It offers tools for efficient writing, editing, and managing story elements to bring creative projects to life.

Book creation and organizationCharacter creation and notesDraft management
📊 Productivity
(78)
subscription
13
Journal X: My Diary with Lock
Journal X: My Diary with Lock
Journal X: My Diary with Lock
Personal Locked Journaling
Free

This app allows you to create a private digital journal with passcode protection. Add photos, stickers, and organize entries into multiple journals. Sync across devices and receive reminders to encourage daily writing.

Daily photo entriesPasscode lockMultiple photo uploads per entry
🌟 Lifestyle
(1.8K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Writing Space: Books & Scripts
Writing Space: Books & Scripts
Writing Space: Books & Scripts
App for writers on the go.
Free

This app is a distraction-free word processor designed for writers. It offers customizable themes, rich formatting, and progress tracking to help users finish projects faster. Share or publish your work online with ease.

Distraction-free writing modeCustomizable themes and templatesRich text formatting options
📊 Productivity
(1.5K)
free with in-app purchases
15
Chronicle - A Personal Journal / Writing Diary
Chronicle - A Personal Journal / Writing Diary
Chronicle - A Personal Journal / Writing Diary
by Steven Romej
$2.99

This app provides a digital space for personal reflection and writing, offering features like multi-photo integration and robust search. It aims to improve well-being and productivity through journaling, with secure storage and export options.

Distraction-free writingMultiple photos per entry with text wrappingReliable storage and autosave
🌟 Lifestyle
(866)
free with in-app purchases
16
Author AI: Book Creator
Author AI: Book Creator
Author AI: Book Creator
Novel, Poetry & Story Writing
Free

This app uses advanced AI to generate personalized stories, poems, and novels based on your input. Explore a vast library of themes and genres, or create your own prompts for unique narrative experiences.

AI-generated storiesPersonalized narrativesNovel and poetry writing
🔧 Utilities
(3.5K)
free with in-app purchases
17
Glimpse - Voice Journal
Glimpse - Voice Journal
Glimpse - Voice Journal
A journal that writes back
Free

This app transforms spoken thoughts into written journal entries using AI. It offers features like AI-powered summaries, personalized insights, and conversational interactions with your journal. Enhance your reflections with visual elements and customizable themes.

Effortless voice journalingAI-powered summariesPersonalized insights
🌟 Lifestyle
(337)
free with in-app purchases
18
Novel Crafter
Novel Crafter
Novel Crafter
Novel with Ai
Free

This AI-powered writing tool assists authors in creating, organizing, and refining novels from initial idea to final chapter. It offers features for character development, plot outlining, scene writing, and provides AI feedback to improve storytelling and writing quality.

AI-assisted plot generationCharacter and location developmentChapter outlining and organization
📚 Books
(1)
freemium
19
Zero - A Pure Design Journal And Note
Zero - A Pure Design Journal And Note
Zero - A Pure Design Journal And Note
by 素琼 曹
Free

This app offers a minimalist journaling experience with features like a timeline view, photo wall, and secure password protection. Customize your journal with various themes and font sizes, and set reminders to ensure you never miss an entry. VIP features include photo backup and export options.

Timeline journal viewPhoto wall displayFingerprint & passcode lock
🌟 Lifestyle
(32)
free with in-app purchases
20
AI Story Generator Novel Write
AI Story Generator Novel Write
AI Story Generator Novel Write
Novel AI Story Writer Plotter
Free

This app uses AI to help you write novels by generating plots and characters. Choose from various genres and customize your story to overcome writer's block and unleash your creativity.

AI story generationNovel writing assistantPlot and character creation
📚 Books
(578)
free with in-app purchases

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