Day One
Free (Basic); Silver $49.99/yr; Gold $74.99/yr
Price checked at source September 18, 2026.
An award-winning journaling app with end-to-end encryption, "On This Day" memory surfacing, and rich media entries across Mac, iPhone, iPad, and web.
Our take
The category’s default recommendation — a free tier covers unlimited text entries and journals, while paid Silver/Gold tiers add unlimited photos/video, cross-device sync, and (Gold) AI-assisted reflection features. Acquired by Automattic; end-to-end encryption and a long track record are its strongest claims relative to newer AI-journal entrants.
- Price
- Free (Basic); Silver $49.99/yr; Gold $74.99/yr
- License
- Proprietary
- Requires
- macOS, iOS, Android, and web
- Get it via
- Mac App Store · Direct
- Developer
- Automattic Inc. (Bloom Built)
Do you use Day One?
Who made this
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What it does
On This Day
Surfaces past journal entries from the same date in previous years.
Rich media entries
Add photos, video, audio recordings, and drawings alongside text.
Shared Journals
Journal together with family or friends in a private, shared space.
Multiple journals
Keep separate journals for different areas of life, all searchable and taggable.
The deal
- Basic (free): unlimited text entries and journals, 1 photo per entry, end-to-end encryption, daily prompts, on-device use limited to 1 device
- Silver ($49.99/yr): unlimited photos/video (30 per entry), sync across unlimited devices, audio recording/transcription, integrations
- Gold ($74.99/yr): everything in Silver, plus Daily Chat and reflective AI summaries/prompts
- Free 1-month trial of paid plans available inside the app
Privacy: End-to-end encryption on entries, per the developer; passcode and biometric lock available.
Day One — questions people ask
Is Day One free?
Yes — the Basic plan is free with unlimited text entries and journals. Silver and Gold add media limits removal, sync, and AI features for $49.99–$74.99/yr.
Is Day One end-to-end encrypted?
Yes, per the developer — entries are protected with end-to-end encryption alongside passcode/biometric lock.
Is Day One free?
Day One is free to use with optional paid unlocks.
Does Day One work alongside a notch app like Alcove?
Yes — Day One lives in the dock, so it runs happily alongside any Dynamic Island hub or notch app.
Where can I download Day One?
Day One is available via Mac App Store, Direct.
Reviews
No public ratings yet. Reader reviews are coming to Kitsmith soon.
Listing hand-verified September 18, 2026 from the developer's site and public sources.
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