Many people keep some kind of journal. Journals are a way for people to log their thoughts, and it can be a deeply therapeutic exercise. Not only that, but keeping a journal is kind of like scrapbooking, in that you can easily look back at past entries and relive your best (and worst) days. People have been keeping journals for literal centuries, but with modern technology, it’s become easier than ever. Day One is one of the most popular journal apps out there, but it’s only available for iOS devices. What kind of options are available to Android users? In this article, I’m going to be talking about some of the best journal apps like Day One that are compatible with the Android platform. Let’s take a closer look.
#5 – Gratitude Journal (Bliss)
The first app on my like of the best apps like Day One is listed in the Google Play Store as Gratitude Journal, but it’s probably better known as Bliss. I mentioned before that there is a certain therapeutic quality to keeping a journal, and Bliss is an app that takes that idea to a whole other level. This app is designed specifically to create a positive meditative space for its users. When you open up the app, you’re asked to write down what you’re grateful for. It’s designed for self-reflection, and users of this app can attest to its ability to brighten up their moods and clear up their psyche. Bliss is very user friendly, and it also comes with all kinds of different exercises that are meant to help you relax and improve your mental health. Overall, it takes a very holistic approach to your standard journal app.
Of course, this may not be for everyone. If you’re just looking to record your daily happenings, then you may not be too keen on the idea of having this app’s general feel hanging over your head. Bliss has a more specialized use, which obviously means that it just isn’t for everyone. It may not be as versatile as some of the other applications in this article, but I still think that it does a very good job at what it sets out to do. Bliss is user friendly, well designed, and perfectly functional. If you’re looking to improve your mental health and general outlook on life with a journal app, then I would definitely point you in the direction of Bliss.
#4 – Jotterpad
Next, let’s talk a little bit about Jotterpad. iOS devices come with the classic Notes app, which can be used to create and store notes. However, it isn’t the most comprehensive tool in the world, and neither is Android’s equivalent. Jotterpad is more of a standard writing app than a journal app, but I think that it could be easily used in either way. Unlike many word processing apps, this one is designed in an incredibly clean and sleek way. There aren’t many obtrusive menus or overly complicated lists of options. If you consider the fact that an app like this is just meant to be written in, it really doesn’t need a whole lot of features. In my mind, when it comes with word processing apps, Jotterpad is by far one of the best. It’s distraction free yet still packed with some minimal, functional features. It should service every need that the average writer has.
However, as a word processing app, it obviously doesn’t translate perfectly as a journal app. Whereas Bliss may be a little too specific in who they serve, I think that Jotterpad may be a little bit too broad. If you’re looking specifically to keep a diary on your Android device, then you may run into a few inconveniences with this app. However, I definitely think that there’s something to be said for the incredibly crisp and clean functionality of this application. It feels very simple to the user, but it packs a punch under the hood, with Dropbox integration, keyboard shortcuts, word count, and an extended keyboard. I highly recommend Jotterpad to just about anyone looking for a word processing app, and I think that it would do just fine keeping a journal.
#3 – Journey
Journey is probably one of the most popular diary apps out there, and I think that it’s for very good reason. It offers an array of different tools and features that make it feel a lot more special than some of the other journal apps that you may find on the Google Play Store. With Journey, you can do a lot more than just write down what you did today. Along with your standard text, you can also integrate things like photo and video into your entries. Not only that, but your entries can also log things like weather and location. Looking back on a Journey entry, you may be especially touched when you remember how awful the weather was when you had that great movie night with your friends at home. Overall, the features here just add a certain sentimental touch to some of your favorite memories.
Not only that, but Journey also has a few features that allow it to truly emulate what it feels like to have an actual journal. If you kept a diary as a young kid, I’m sure you remember how it felt to lock it up or tuck it under your bed, so that no one could read about any of your secrets. Journey has something similar to that with their security features, which allow you to lock up your secrets behind a passcode or a fingerprint. Overall, I think that Journey does a really good job at being a journal app, and it’s a solid choice for anyone looking for a Day One alternative for Android. However, I have to say that it may be a little too complicated for your average user. Journey often feels more like a blogging app than a journal or diary app, making it just a little less accessible than I would like. Overall, though, I recommend this one.
#2 – Penzu
The next item on our list of the best Android apps like Day One is Penzu. I think that it strikes a balance that Journey isn’t completely able to obtain, in that it allows you to do a lot without completely overwhelming you. It’s a much more intimate experience with Penzu, which like Journey lets you lock up your journals behind passcodes to ensure that they’re as private as you want them to be. You can even go so far as to encrypt your journals, if you really want to keep people out of your personal thoughts. Penzu offers unlimited journaling backed up the cloud, which means that you can write to your heart’s content without having to worry about page limits or anything like that. You can even personalize your journal covers on Penzu, to add an even more personal touch.
If you’re someone who wants to keep a journal but worries that you won’t have the motivation to write in it everyday, Penzu has you covered. You can set it up to where you receive notifications on a regular basis to remind you to open up the app and write. To some, the idea of writing every day for fun may seem like too much work, but this reminder feature will help you make a habit of your daily reflection. I really like Penzu, and it’s what I’ve personally used to journal for quite some time now. (The service is even available on regular computers, making it even easier to use.) It may be a little bare bones for some people, but if you don’t need all of the bells and whistles, then this is the app for you.
#1 – Diaro
Next, let’s talk about Diaro. Diaro is by far one of the most popular journal apps out there, with millions of users around the world. Surely an app that popular has to be good, right? Well, in this case, that’s right. Diaro is beautifully designed, combining simplicity with function to create a user experience that is perfectly tuned to your own needs. You customize the user interface for yourself, lock your entries behind a password, sort your entries by type, and attach as many photos as you want to each entry. To put it simply, Diaro has it all. Most impressively, it’s able to contain all of these powerful features without being too overwhelming. I’m confident that a tech-savvy twenty-something could use this app just as well as someone who may not have as much experience with apps in general.
Although many real-life journals can become kind of disorganized and messy as they log your stream of consciousness, Diaro helps you keep all of your thoughts in a neat and well-kept place. All of your data is backed up and protected, so you don’t have to worry about anything bad happening to any of it. Like with Penzu, you can also access your entries from a traditional website on your computer. If you’re in search of a journal app but your being an Android user is keeping you from having Day One, then I seriously suggest that you look into Diaro. It’s a comprehensive user-friendly tool that just about anyone could get good use out of.
