Diary apps Digital journaling: the future of diary writing

Whether you record your thoughts and experiences digitally on your smartphone or write them down by hand in a beautiful book - journaling is definitely good for the soul. Consciously reflecting on yourself for just a few minutes a day promotes personal development, lifts your mood and nurtures your spirit. Today, there are a growing number of apps for digital journaling, with exciting additional functions that are worth taking a closer look at.

The oldest known surviving diary dates back to the 2nd century AD and was discovered in Egypt. Numerous important figures in history have kept diaries and many of them have also been published: Arthur Schopenhauer, Frida Kahlo, Mark Twain, Marie Curie, Ernesto Che Guevara, to name just a few well-known examples.

But even if you don't plan to publish your personal memoirs at some point, you will still benefit from keeping a diary. Because developing the positive habit of daily writing, discovering your own rhythm and getting to know yourself better in the process is a real balm for the soul.

Many good reasons to keep a diary

Regularly recording your thoughts and experiences in writing promotes reflection, increases self-awareness and improves your cognitive functions. It can also reduce stress and anxiety, balance your thoughts, help you set new goals and boost your self-confidence. And while you cultivate gratitude, you also develop an intrinsic and therefore sustainable sense of well-being. Sounds good, doesn't it?

And thanks to the following diary apps (non-exhaustive selection), you can practice this anytime and anywhere without always having to carry writing materials and notes around with you. Simply write in your smartphone what you've experienced and what's on your mind.

With these apps, you can leave pen and paper at home

Journal: iOS

Journal makes it easy to get started and capture life's moments. Start with a text entry and add photos, videos, locations or audio recordings to create more context. Intelligently curated, personalized suggestions help you remember and write about moments.

Price: free of charge

Day One: iOS/Android

Day One's appealing, award-winning design and the numerous downloads and positive reviews speak for themselves. Over the past 10 years, regular updates and additional features have made the app one of the most private, trustworthy and user-friendly diary apps.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Journey: iOS/Android

Embark on a journey of self-improvement and take your memories with you wherever you go. You can synchronize your journal across multiple platforms. As a future-proof, digital logbook, Journey is your perfect companion wherever you go.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Reflectly: iOS / Android

Based on artificial intelligence, Reflectly uses positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy. It gives you personalized tools and new ways of thinking to help you overcome negative thoughts and adopt a positive mindset.

Price: free (in-app purchases possible)

Diarium: iOS/Android

Beautiful cross-platform diary app for all devices, with no subscription, no ads and no registration. Collect your memories in one place and attach pictures, videos, audio recordings, files, tags, people, ratings or places to your diary entries. And with daily but unobtrusive reminders, you won't forget either.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Moleskine Journey: iOS/Android

This minimalist and intuitive app was developed for creatives, freelancers, backpackers and free spirits. The app uniquely combines the best features of productivity apps with personal development tools. It allows you to organize the most important activities at work and in your personal life while expressing your creativity.

Price: free to use in a very limited form, for serious use there are different pricing models from the monthly plan for CHF 4.50 (per month) to the premium annual plan for CHF 34.

365 & me: iOS/ Android

365 & me helps you to get to know yourself better. The diary app asks you a question every day to reflect on your life. The questions cover all areas of life: Love, friendship, career, etc. With your answers, you can later look back on fond memories and celebrate your successes.

Price: free (in-app purchases possible)

Point: iOS

Write one sentence a day with Punkt, the simple diary with no ads, no login and no unnecessary bells and whistles. The app attaches great importance to accessibility: voiceover and voice control as well as individual text sizes are supported. There is no company behind Punkt, just a single developer. Punkt.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

stoic: iOS/Android

A personalized daily planner, journaling, mood tracking for your mental health, meditation and reflection: learn about the philosophy of stoicism with stoic., practice dealing with stress and lead a happier and calmer life.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Diaro: iOS/Android

The cross-platform diary app Diaro can be used as a classic diary, travel diary with photos and maps, mood tracker, simple note editor, business planner, daily expense diary or even as a diet diary. Whether short notes or longer entries, thanks to powerful search and filter functions, everything can be organized with ease.

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Daylio: iOS/Android

This bullet-point self-care journal with goal setting, mood diary and happiness tracker allows you to keep a private diary without typing a single line. Amazingly simple and beautifully designed mini diary app. Worth trying out!

Price: free (in-app purchases possible)

Clue Period Calendar: iOS/Android

Developed by women for women, this versatile cycle app scores with its simple layout and individual setting options. Stress-free cycle tracking with personalized, accurate predictions for menstruation, fertile days, pregnancy and everything in between. With Clue, you can easily live in harmony with your unique cycle.

Price: free (in-app purchases possible)

MindDoc: iOS/Android

Take your mental health into your own hands: observe your thoughts and feelings, recognize patterns and connections and receive regular feedback. Top health app, developed in cooperation with leading research institutions. For people who suffer from mild to moderate mental illness or want to learn about emotional health.

Note: The medical purpose of the MindDoc app is to log signs and symptoms of common mental illnesses in real time over long periods of time. This log is supplemented by courses and exercises. This allows you to recognize patterns in your symptom progression, which can then be shared with professionals and used for self-management. The MindDoc app expressly does not replace a professional diagnosis (this actually applies to all self-care apps).

Price: free of charge (in-app purchases possible)

Google Keep: iOS/Android

In the right place at the right time: with Google Keep, you always have your notes to hand, can share them with friends and family and bring order to your everyday life. Capture your thoughts and ideas wherever you are.

Price: free of charge

1 Second Everyday: iOS/Android

For lazy writers: start recording today! Your future self will thank you. With this award-winning app, you can easily create a 1-second video diary and gain a valuable perspective on your life over the years.

Price: 7 days free, then CHF 10 per month, CHF 52 per year or CHF 250 for a lifetime subscription.

What makes a good diary app?

This is not so easy to say in general terms, as individual needs play a major role here. Nevertheless, here is a small attempt:

Conclusion

Pen and paper are all you need to write in your diary, but many of the digital diary apps presented here also offer exciting functions that can increase the positive effect of writing on mental health and creativity. They are based on positive psychology methods and can help you to take a more active approach to your life and gain new perspectives.

We hope we've been able to help you with this brief overview, hope you enjoy trying them out and that you find an app that works for you.

And don't forget: Stay tuned!

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