C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
Google rolled out a set of exclusive apps for the Pixel 10 smartphone line, including a new personal reflection app called Pixel Journal. I’ve already covered it in a separate article, but to summarize, it’s an AI-enhanced diary app that offers contextual writing prompts, support for attached images and maps, and is designed using Google’s new Material 3 Expressive design language. Naturally, it seems like a perfect fit for Pixel users.
However, Google didn’t invent the diary app. In fact, plenty of other journal apps have existed on the platform for years, each offering something a little different. If you aren’t impressed by Pixel Journal’s AI features, find it overwhelming, or don’t think it delves deep enough, here are some apps you should consider instead.
Which Pixel Journal alternative do you think is best? 7 votes Daily You 14 % Daily Diary 0 % Day One 14 % Diarium 0 % Journey 57 % Another app or service (mention which in comments) 14 %
Daily You
Andy Walker / Android Authority
I have a soft spot for Daily You. This brilliant little diary app is open source and free, and it also includes features that make recording my day’s happenings an adventure. Like Pixel Journal, it has an option to upload images and lets me track my mood. Over time, I can view these mood trends in the stats section, comparing and contrasting them with activities I engage in over the week. Entries that support text formatting give the app an advantage over Pixel Journal.
For journal newbies, Daily You offers an approachable layout and all of the features you could need.
Daily You emphasizes reliving moments in your life. A Flashbacks section on the home page highlights an entry from the past. By default, this section includes “bad days” too, but I prefer the setting that excludes them. Naturally, this type of feature only rewards regular users of the app.
The app includes plenty of additional settings, like importing data from a broad array of third-party diary and mood apps, changing the default storage folders, and a password to lock your entries.
Daily Diary
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Get used to apps in this article starting with the letter D. Daily Diary offers a slightly different approach to journaling than the other apps on this list. It doesn’t support image uploads but instead focuses on the simplicity and approachability of text.
How so? Well, this app essentially consists of a single page where you can jot down whatever thoughts may be rolling around in your head. When the day ends, Daily Diary automatically saves that day’s entry to a text file and refreshes the canvas. This might sound like a completely bonkers concept that’s far too minimalistic for its own good, but it’s surprisingly accommodating.
Daily Diary strips the fluff from other journal apps and offers a clean canvas every day.
That feeling of overwhelm that often comes from using apps like Diarium and Day One melts away when all you’re faced with is a blank page. I quite like the emphasis on text beyond all other media, too. Some won’t, but I do.
Daily Diary still lets you view previous entries from the app and includes a handful of essential settings, but nothing is overly complex here. There’s no AI infusion, and I like the approach.
Day One
Joe Maring / Android Authority
Now, for one of the more established options on the Play Store. Day One is used and adored by many of us at Android Authority. It’s a comprehensive journaling app that goes beyond Google’s offering but still provides the basics.
Although it doesn’t quite mesh with Google’s latest design language, I like Day One’s clean aesthetic. Navigating, managing, and filtering journals and entries is extremely easy. Users can create multiple journals to cover varying topics or themes, while entries support text formatting and image embeds. Interestingly, the app also offers a location tag for each entry, which it uses to present a geographical layout of posts on a map. This makes it an excellent option for a travel journal. Like Pixel Journal, Day One includes a sprinkle of AI features. The app offers a daily prompt encouraging users to maintain entry streaks.
Day One supports multiple journals, a host of templates to overcome writing blocks, and sync support for premium subscribers.
Day One also offers a library of templates that make it easy to insert a specific journal entry style (Daily Gratitude, 5 minutes, travel recap, etc.) and start writing immediately. This little feature helps me overcome the inertia I often feel when faced with a blank page.
I appreciate that Day One doesn’t necessarily require me to create an account to use the app, but an account does open up cloud saves. Notably, the app is free to use, but there is a premium option that unlocks a slew of additional features, including video and PDF uploads, more photo slots per entry, audio recording, and cross-device/platform access.
Diarium
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Diarium plunges new users headfirst into a seven-day trial of the Pro version. I’m not sure I like this approach, as it sets unrealistic expectations for the app. Nevertheless, for those who appreciate myriad features that aid in creating a digital time capsule of your life, you might find it worthwhile.
Right off the bat, Diarium prioritizes organization. I particularly like the timeline view, which displays diary entries beneath a calendar. This offers a good, holistic look at one’s journal progress. It also has a map view, like Day One, and includes a search feature that combs through every entry to match a keyword. This I really like.
Diarium offers support for data from third-party services, like GitHub, Strava, and Last.fm.
Like Daily You’s Flashback feature, Diarium’s “On this day” highlights entries published on the same day in previous years. You won’t immediately benefit from this, but it’s a nifty feature for long-term users.
The app’s premium version opens up many more options, including unlimited attachments and connectivity with other apps like Last.fm, Strava, and GitHub, sync across multiple devices, additional font settings, and weather info. More importantly, unlike Day One, Diarium only requires a one-time payment to unlock all these features.
Journey
Andy Walker / Android Authority
Finally, let’s talk about Journey. I find this app’s UI the least appealing of all the apps on this list. Nevertheless, it balances that out with a dizzying array of features.
Yes, all the usual diary app features are included, such as media attachments and a map layout (called Atlas), but it matches and transcends Pixel Journal with its more innovative use of integrated AI. Journey Odyssey AI acts as an in-depth search tool that can answer various questions related to the content of your diary. For instance, you can ask about the total diary entries or target specific or random happy events in a given year. It also includes a Gemini-powered version, which is particularly intriguing.
Journey's use of AI for search and study, and its Coach feature for writing encouragement, makes it an attractive power user option.
Additionally, I like Journey’s diary tutorial feature. Called “Coach,” these are downloadable programs that include seasonal prompts. These can all be found quickly and easily beneath the Stories section on the home page.
Journey, like Diarium and Day One, includes premium versions. A one-time payment unlocks all the app’s features, but it also offers a membership tier that enables sync across multiple devices. Notably, it’s the most expensive product on this list, but it may be worth considering for those who want a more involved mindfulness tool.
These are the 5 best Pixel Journal alternatives that I believe are worth trying, but they’re by no means the only options. If you have a suggestion, please drop a comment below.
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