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VERDICT

Should I use Diarly?

Private journal app for iPhone, iPad & Mac - diarly.app

Depends. Buy it if you journal on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and want a lightweight, private Day One alternative with a real free tier. Skip it entirely on Android or Windows — no version exists for you.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~50 public sources; many snippets truncated, so some details (exact prices, ratings) unverified.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support qualityNo support-quality evidence in sources
  • Security posture

Pricing

Free

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
PremiumSubscription (rate not shown in sources)
Lifetime PremiumOne-time (price not shown in sources)

Best for

  • Apple-only journalers
  • Markdown fans
  • Day One switchers
  • Private daily writing

Not for

  • Android or Windows users — no app exists
  • Teams or shared journals — single-user diary only
  • Feature maximalists wanting Day One-level extras
  • Anyone needing free-tier encryption guaranteed

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

App lock and protection sit behind Premium; check what the free tier includes first.

medium

Storage growth is real: one user's journal hit 34 GB before media cleanup.

medium

Help center says encryption is 'only available' with conditions — verify scope for sensitive entries.

low

Subscription with a lifetime option; exact rates not shown in reviewed sources — confirm before committing.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Lightweight and easy enough that free users build a journaling habit
  • Frequent Day One replacement among Apple users
  • Markdown support praised in reviews since 2018
  • App lock and journal protection available
  • Works with Apple Health per user reports

Cons

  • Apple-only: no Android, Windows, or web apps
  • Premium features like app lock are paid
  • Libraries can balloon; one user trimmed 34 GB to 8.7 GB
  • Encryption availability has stated limits per help center

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/06/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x3review x6security x2news x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 4/5

    Rating

  • Free

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 4/5. Praised free tier; premium optional
  • Ease of use: 5/5. Reviewers call it easy and lightweight
  • Feature depth: 3/5. Minimal by design; lighter than Day One
  • Support quality. No support-quality evidence in sources
  • Security posture: 3/5. Security docs exist; encryption limits unclear
  • Yes Free tier Free & Premium plans published
  • Apple only Platforms iPhone, iPad, Mac; no Android or web
  • Subscription + lifetime Premium billing Lifetime option discussed by users
  • 2018 On the market since Reviewed by Sherwood in Oct 2018

Pricing

Free

Free

  • Journaling basics
  • Enough to build a daily habit

Premium

Subscription (rate not shown in sources)

  • Lock and protect journal
  • Full premium feature set

Lifetime Premium

One-time (price not shown in sources)

  • Perpetual premium access
  • Discussed by users on Reddit

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

Alternatives

Compare Diarly with each alternative.

  • Apple Journal

    Free and already on your iPhone; try before paying.

  • Day One

    The feature-rich incumbent many Diarly users left.

    Diarly vs Day One

  • Pixy

    Journaling alternative aimed at Android users Diarly can't serve.

    Diarly vs Pixy

  • Guess: Obsidian

    Markdown notes you own cross-platform, if lock-in worries you.

Full analysis

Based on ~50 public sources; many snippets truncated, so some details (exact prices, ratings) unverified.

Lightweight Apple-only private journal with a free tier; useless if you need Android, Windows, or web.

Methodology

Based on ~50 public sources; many snippets truncated, so some details (exact prices, ratings) unverified.

Sources

  1. Diarly homepagediarly.app
    official
  2. Diarly Pricing — Free & Premium Plansdiarly.app
    official
  3. Premium Featuresdiarly.app
    official
  4. Security overview — Diarly Help Centerdiarly.app
    security
  5. Diarly Privacy Policydiarly.app
    security
  6. Diarly App Review | User Ratings & Opinionssetapp.com
    review
  7. If you switched from DayOne, how is the experience?reddit.com
    review
  8. Diarly — an excellent markdown journal (Sherwood, 2018)welcometosherwood.wordpress.com
    review
  9. This free app makes journaling so easy (Yahoo Tech)tech.yahoo.com
    news
  10. Day One vs Diarly (iTechGuides)itechguides.com
    review
  11. Pixy vs Diarly on Androidpixy.day
    review
  12. Tip: How I reduced my Diarly data from 34 GB to 8.7 GBreddit.com
    review

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