10 Best AI Journal Apps in 2025 (Honest Comparison)
Choosing a journaling app is personal. What works for one person feels wrong for another. And with so many AI-powered options now available, the decision has gotten harder.
We built ZenDiary because we felt something was missing in the journaling space. But we also know we are not the right fit for everyone. Some people need features we do not have yet. Others prefer approaches different from ours.
So here is an honest comparison of the best AI journal apps in 2025. Yes, we included ourselves. And yes, we will be upfront about where others do things better than us.
What to Look for in an AI Journal App
Before comparing apps, consider what matters most to you:
- AI quality: Does the AI actually help you reflect, or does it feel gimmicky?
- Privacy: How is your personal data handled and stored?
- Ease of use: Will you actually open this app daily?
- Prompts and guidance: Do the prompts feel meaningful or repetitive?
- Price: Does the value match the cost?
Different apps prioritize these differently. Here is how they stack up.
1. Day One
Best for: Premium experience and long-term journalers
Day One has been around since 2011 and remains the most polished traditional journal app. If you want something that feels premium and works beautifully across Apple devices, Day One delivers.
Strengths:
- Beautiful, mature design
- Excellent photo and location integration
- End-to-end encryption on premium
- Rich export options and data ownership
Limitations:
- AI features feel secondary to the core experience
- Premium pricing at $35/year
- Android experience lags behind iOS
- No conversational AI capabilities
Our honest take: Day One is excellent at what it does. If you want a traditional digital journal with light AI features and you use Apple devices, it is hard to beat. We see Day One as serving a different need than ZenDiary. They focus on capturing life moments beautifully. We focus on processing thoughts through conversation.
2. Reflectly
Best for: Beginners who need guided structure
Reflectly helped bring AI journaling to mainstream audiences. Its chat-like interface walks you through daily reflections with a friendly, approachable tone.
Strengths:
- Gentle onboarding for journaling newcomers
- Good mood tracking and statistics
- Established app with years of refinement
Limitations:
- AI conversations can feel scripted over time
- Very limited free version
- Repetitive question patterns
- Less room for unstructured reflection
Our honest take: Reflectly is a solid starting point for people new to journaling. The guided approach reduces friction. However, many users tell us they outgrew Reflectly and wanted something that felt more like a real conversation. That feedback actually shaped how we built ZenDiary's AI.
3. Journey
Best for: Cross-platform users who want Google integration
Journey works everywhere. Web, iOS, Android, Chrome extension. If you constantly switch between devices and want your journal synced through Google Drive, Journey handles that well.
Strengths:
- True cross-platform support
- Google Drive backup for data control
- Clean interface with good customization
- Coach feature for AI-driven insights
Limitations:
- AI features locked behind premium
- Interface can feel cluttered
- Some features feel incomplete
- Confusing pricing tiers
Our honest take: Journey solves the cross-platform problem better than most. If that is your priority, Journey deserves serious consideration. We currently only support mobile, so Journey wins for users who need web access. That said, their AI feels more like an add-on than a core feature.
4. Stoic
Best for: Structured mental health routines
Stoic takes a therapeutic approach with morning and evening routines built around psychological frameworks. Less freeform journaling, more structured check-ins.
Strengths:
- Science-backed question frameworks
- Good habit tracking integration
- Thoughtful prompt sequences
- Affordable pricing
Limitations:
- Minimal AI, mostly curated prompts
- Rigid structure limits flexibility
- Functional but uninspiring design
- Limited customization
Our honest take: Stoic does structured mental health check-ins really well. If you want a specific routine rather than open-ended journaling, it is worth trying. We took a different path with ZenDiary, prioritizing natural conversation over structured frameworks. Different approaches for different needs.
5. Rosebud
Best for: AI-first journaling with pattern recognition
Rosebud built everything around AI from day one. You write, the AI asks follow-up questions, and it surfaces patterns in your thinking over time.
Strengths:
- AI feels like a genuine conversation partner
- Good at identifying thought patterns
- Weekly insights are genuinely useful
- Modern, clean interface
Limitations:
- Newer app with some rough edges
- Privacy policy could be more transparent
- Limited free tier
- AI questions can become repetitive
Our honest take: Rosebud is probably our closest competitor in terms of philosophy. They are doing interesting work with AI journaling. If you try ZenDiary and it does not click, Rosebud is worth exploring. We think our conversational AI feels more natural, but that is subjective. Try both and see what resonates.
6. ZenDiary
Best for: Conversational AI journaling with genuine depth
This is us. We built ZenDiary because we wanted journaling to feel like talking to a thoughtful friend who actually listens and remembers.
Strengths:
- AI conversations that feel natural, not scripted
- Context awareness that references past entries meaningfully
- Calming interface designed to reduce friction
- Strong privacy focus with local data options
- Generous free tier
- Photo memories feature for emotional connection
Limitations:
- We are still a newer app, continuously adding features
- Some advanced features require premium
- No web version yet
- Smaller team means slower feature releases
Our honest take: We are proud of what we have built, but we know we are not perfect. Our AI genuinely tries to help you think deeper rather than just respond to your words. Users tell us conversations feel surprisingly real. But if you need web access or specific features we lack, other apps might serve you better right now. We are working on it.
7. Daylio
Best for: Quick mood logging without writing
Daylio is not really an AI journal, but it dominates the micro-journaling space. Tap your mood, select activities, done. Takes seconds.
Strengths:
- Fastest possible daily logging
- Excellent statistics and pattern visualization
- Highly customizable moods and activities
- Works offline perfectly
Limitations:
- No AI features
- Not designed for deep reflection
- Can feel shallow for serious journalers
- Premium needed for basic features like export
Our honest take: Daylio is perfect for people who want to track moods without writing. We actually recommend it to people who say journaling feels like too much effort. Start with Daylio, build the daily habit, then graduate to deeper journaling when ready. Different tools for different stages.
8. Presently
Best for: Free gratitude journaling
Presently is simple, free, and focused entirely on gratitude. No AI, no complexity, just daily gratitude prompts.
Strengths:
- Completely free with no catches
- No account required
- Simple and focused
- Reliable reminder system
Limitations:
- No AI features
- Very limited functionality
- Basic design
- No sync across devices
Our honest take: If you just want to practice gratitude without cost or complexity, Presently does exactly that. It is not competing with AI journals. It is solving a specific, narrow problem well.
9. Glimpse
Best for: Video journaling with AI summaries
Glimpse offers something different. Record video entries, and AI transcribes and summarizes them. For people who think out loud, this approach makes sense.
Strengths:
- Video captures emotion text cannot
- AI transcription and summaries
- Unique memory timeline feature
- Fresh perspective on journaling
Limitations:
- Requires comfort with recording yourself
- Storage becomes an issue over time
- AI summaries can miss nuance
- Not for traditional journalers
Our honest take: Glimpse is genuinely innovative. If you process thoughts better by talking than writing, it might click for you in ways text-based apps cannot. We focused on text-based conversation, but we respect what Glimpse is doing differently.
10. Notion with AI
Best for: Journaling within a productivity system
Many people journal in Notion, using its AI features to analyze and summarize entries. Maximum flexibility, but requires setup.
Strengths:
- Infinite customization possibilities
- AI can analyze entry patterns
- Integrates with your whole productivity system
- Powerful database and linking features
Limitations:
- Not designed specifically for journaling
- Significant setup required
- AI features cost extra
- Can feel overwhelming
- Cloud storage raises privacy questions
Our honest take: If you already live in Notion, journaling there makes sense. But Notion optimizes for productivity, not emotional reflection. Dedicated journal apps create a different headspace. Sometimes constraints help more than flexibility.
Quick Comparison Table
| App | AI Quality | Privacy | Free Tier | Best For | |-----|-----------|---------|-----------|----------| | Day One | Basic | Strong | Limited | Apple users, premium experience | | Reflectly | Scripted | Good | Very limited | Beginners, guided journaling | | Journey | Moderate | Good | Decent | Cross-platform, Google users | | Stoic | Minimal | Good | Good | Structured mental health routines | | Rosebud | Strong | Moderate | Limited | AI-first pattern recognition | | ZenDiary | Strong | Strong | Good | Conversational depth, daily reflection | | Daylio | None | Strong | Limited | Quick mood logging | | Presently | None | Strong | Full | Free gratitude practice | | Glimpse | Moderate | Moderate | Limited | Video journaling | | Notion | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Productivity system integration |
How to Choose
Be honest about what you actually need.
Just starting out? Try Reflectly or Daylio. Build the habit first, worry about features later.
Want premium polish and Apple integration? Day One remains the benchmark.
Need cross-platform and web access? Journey handles that best.
Want AI that actually deepens your reflection? Try ZenDiary or Rosebud. We obviously believe in our approach, but both apps take AI seriously.
Prefer talking over typing? Glimpse offers something unique.
The best journal app is the one you actually use. Download two or three that interest you, try them for a week each, and trust your gut about which one feels right.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free AI journal app?
ZenDiary and Stoic offer the most functional free tiers among AI-enabled apps. Daylio and Presently are completely free but do not include AI features.
Are AI journal apps safe for private thoughts?
Safety varies significantly between apps. Check whether data is stored locally, encrypted, or processed on servers. Day One and ZenDiary prioritize privacy with encryption options. Always read privacy policies before writing anything sensitive.
Can AI journaling replace therapy?
No. AI journals are tools for self-reflection, not mental health treatment. They can complement professional support but should never replace it. If you are struggling, please reach out to a qualified therapist.
How often should I use an AI journal app?
Daily works best for most people, even if just for a few minutes. Consistency builds the habit. Short daily entries beat long weekly ones.
Why did you include competitors in this comparison?
Because you deserve honest information to make the right choice. We believe ZenDiary is great for many people, but not everyone. If another app serves you better, we would rather you find that out now than feel misled later. Trust matters more than a single download.
Have questions about any of these apps? Want to share your own experience? We would love to hear from you.