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Best Journaling Apps for Android
1. Journey
If you are thinking about writing a diary then you’ve probably heard about Journey. The app not only looks nice and clean but offers some of the best features like the ability to lock your diary, word or character count, photo and video entries, geo tags, Google Drive sync, stickers, ability to publish stories to social networks, etc. Moreover, you can also organize your entries using keywords, tags, calendar, timeline, and photos. Apart from the above mentioned basic features, you can also get additional features like the markdown preview, night mode, local backups, etc., in the form of in-app purchases. Besides from the Android app, you can access Journey using its Chrome extension. If you want to, you can purchase the standalone apps from Windows and Mac OS. So, if you are looking for a simple, beautiful, yet capable app for your journal entries then do give Journey a try. Pros: Journey app is very minimal and beautiful with all the right features for a journal app. It is also cross-platform compatible thanks to its standalone apps, chrome extension, and the web editor. You can get more details about the standalone apps from the official website. Cons: Some advanced features are locked down for in-app purchases. You also need to buy the standalone apps from Windows and Mac OS. Is it free: The basic app is free with in-app purchases for advanced features.
2. Penzu
When writing a journal, you may not want to share some of your memories or thoughts. They are meant to be private, locked down, and for your eyes only. Thankfully, Penzu is created for that exact purpose where you can lock and encrypt your journal entries. Just like in Journal, you can add your journal entries with photos and formatting. Using the web counterpart, you can access and modify your journals regardless of the platform you are on. Even though the free version has all the basic features like autosave, sharing, journal locking, word count, etc., to get you started with a digital journal, most its advanced features are locked down for in-app purchases. Some of the premium features include but not limited to military grade encryption, rich-text formatting, customizable journals, tagging, reminders, etc. Alternative to the in-app purchases, Penzu also offers yearly subscriptions. Pros: Offers better security and privacy compared to the other apps on the list. Cons: Most of the essential features, like the encryption, are only available to Penzu PRO subscribers or in the form of in-app purchases. Is it free: The basic app is free with in-app purchases for advanced features. You can also subscribe to Penzu PRO or Penzu PRO Plus for $19.99 and $49.99 respectively per year if you have multiple devices.
3. Diaro
Diaro is one of the simplest journaling apps for android that requires almost no learning curve. Moreover, Diaro is specifically designed to be fast and easy to filter and find recorded moments using the tags, folders, and calendar entries. Some of the features of Diaro include backup and restore via Dropbox, powerful search and filter functions, add unlimited photos to your journals, the ability to lock the journal, etc. That being said, Diaro is not as full featured as Penzu or Journal. Diaro only has absolute minimal features required for writing a journal. Using the in-app purchases, you can get rid of the advertisements and sync your journals across devices using Dropbox. Moreover, it also enables you to access Diaro’s web counterpart. This enables you edit or download your journals no matter what OS platform you are using. Pros: Very easy to use, beginner friendly, and minimal app with absolute basic features. Cons: No advanced features and requires the in-app purchase to sync your journals across devices. Is it free: Yes it is. However, you need to pay for cross device syncing and the ad-free experience.
4. Diary with Lock
The name of the app is pretty self-descriptive. In case you are wondering, Diary with Lock app lets you lock down and protect your journals with a password or pin. In the developer words, the app is built to be simple, straightforward, and easy to use. Just like Diaro, Diary with Lock only has all the basic features like customizable formatting, unlimited journal entries, synchronization between devices, cloud backup, reminders, etc. So, if you are looking for a simple app with no-nonsense features then do give Diary with Lock app a try. As good as it is, the app is ad-supported. However, you can get rid of those ads and get priority support via in-app purchases. Pros: Being a simple app, there is no learning curve. Just install the app and start writing. Cons: The app is ad-supported and no tagging or folder support for organizing journals. Has no advanced features whatsoever. Is it free: Yes it is. You can purchase the Pro version to get rid of the ads.
5. Bliss Gratitude Journal
Journals are not just used to jot down your thoughts, they can be used to level up your happiness, determination, and optimism. Bliss Gratitude Journal is one such app that uses psychological techniques which are based on actual scientific research to increase positivity towards your life and things in general. Bliss does this by providing you with the necessary exercises to implement in your daily life. In fact, it uses questions instead of descriptions to get you motivated. For instance, rather than displaying a description “Write three things that made you happy.”, it questions “What are the three things that made you happy?”. The change is subtle but it motivates and makes you think and write in order to answer the question. To make this even better, the app is also available in the form of Firefox add-on and Chrome extension so that you can access regardless of your operating system. As you can tell, Bliss Gratitude Journal is much more than a simple app that lets you write your thoughts. So, if you are someone who wants be positively charged, then do give the app a try. Pros: The app is simple to use. Bliss uses psychological techniques to increase your gratitude levels. The main intent of the app is to make you happier and motivated. Cons: The app lacks several of the features you find in the general journal app. Is it free: Yes it is.
Hope that helps and do comment below to share your thoughts and experiences about using the above apps or to share your favorite journaling apps for Android. Also Read: 45 Best Root Apps For Android
