jrnl vs MoodHaven Journal
jrnl
jrnl.sh
MoodHaven Journal
moodhaven.appSide by side
| Figure | jrnl | MoodHaven Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Journaling apps | 8.1 (#20) | 8.9 (#5) |
| Spec score · Journaling Software | 7.9 (#28) | 8.4 (#10) |
| Encryption | The application supports AES encryption, and its documentation says encrypted journals use the jrnl v3 format for new encrypted writes. | Entries use AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 and 600,000 iterations. |
| Export formats | multiple | .moodhaven encrypted backup,plaintext |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Plans
In their own words
MoodHaven Journal
MoodHaven Journal is a free, open-source journaling app with guided prompts and end-to-end encryption. It runs on Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and the web; its browser PWA needs no installation or account. Native desktop apps are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and Wear OS supports voice captures and memos. Entries use AES-256-GCM encryption with PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 and 600,000 iterations. Keys are derived in memory and cleared when the app is locked, and passwords are not stored or transmitted. The app requires no account or email, and data is not uploaded or shared unless the user exports it. Devices can sync over a local network using encrypted transport without a cloud relay. Entries can be exported as encrypted .moodhaven backups or plaintext files. Wear OS voice memos are transcribed locally with Whisper.cpp. AI analyzes metadata such as mood scores and patterns; journal text stays on the device. The app includes 15 predefined activities and supports up to 50 custom activities.