Apple Journal vs Gratitude

Apple Journal is a free journaling app for recording everyday moments and special events. Entries can combine text, photos, videos, audio, places, drawings, and a logged state of mind. On-device intelligence groups outings, workouts, photos, and media into suggestions, while reflection prompts and scheduled notifications support regular writing. You can create multiple journals, search and sort entries, browse a calendar, and view entries by location. Writing tools include formatting, inline attachments, drawings, and audio recording with transcription; Apple says transcription in English excludes Singapore and India locales. State-of-mind entries can be saved to Health, and writing time can become Mindful Minutes. Suggestions are processed on device, with sharing controlled by the user. Device passcodes encrypt entries; iCloud entries receive end-to-end encryption with default two-factor authentication and a passcode. iCloud sync covers iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but Journal entries are not included in iCloud backups.

Gratitude is a journaling and mindfulness app focused on noticing positive experiences and living with intention. Its journal supports guided prompts, photos, voice recordings, streaks, and hundreds of prompts. Users can read or listen to affirmations, write their own, add music, and record their voice. Vision boards combine photos, quotes, and affirmations, with support for multiple boards and videos set to music. Daily Zen includes quotes, thought-switch ideas, thank-you cards, affirmations, articles, and real-life stories. The app is listed for Android, iOS, and macOS. Journal entries can be exported as CSV or PDF. Its privacy policy says entries stay on the device, no account is required, and the company does not store or access entries. Users can back up app data to Google Drive on Android and Apple devices, and optionally sync selected content across Apple devices with iCloud. The free app download is free; Pro features require an in-app purchase. A free trial is also available.