Apple Journal vs JournalOS
Apple Journal
apple.comJournalOS
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Apple Journal | JournalOS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | — |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 0 |
| Spec score · Journaling Software | 8.3 (#11) | 7.1 (#35) |
| Spec score · Journaling apps | 8.3 (#13) | 6.7 (#36) |
| Maker | The Journal app’s developer is Apple. | The repository credits Régis Freyd. |
| Platforms | Apple’s App Store listing names iPhone and iPad, and Apple Support documents Journal for Mac; entries can sync among these devices with iCloud. | web,self_hosted |
Plans
In their own words
Apple Journal
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.