There are so many diary apps on the market that choosing one makes your eyes blur.
Some have flashy interfaces but weak features. Some are powerful but feel like operating a system. Others are simple but have pitifully few templates—you record and record, then don't know where to write next.
Today, I won't do a comprehensive横向评测. Instead, I'll talk about a few I think are worth using based on real scenarios.
For Recording Life + Making Journals: CanJournals
Honestly, when I first opened CanJournals, I was a bit surprised.
I thought it was just another "reskinned diary" with a cute interface and basic features. Turns out it actually seriously implements block-based editing structure. Text, lists, images, dividers—every element is an independent block that can be freely dragged and reordered. This is in the same vein as Notion.
But the visual style is completely different. Warm tones, rounded corners, hand-written style decorations—much more comfortable to use than Notion. The template center content is quite practical, especially diary and planning templates. Use it to record daily life while making a beautiful journal—one time, two gains.
On iPad with a stylus, you can also doodle directly on the journal page. This experience is something many pure text diary apps can't provide.
If you want more than just writing a diary, but also want to make a beautiful journal, it's a relatively rare choice on the market.
For Pure Quiet Diary Writing: Day One
Day One is that "I'm just here to write" app.
No fancy templates, no complex features. Open it and it's a clean editing interface, Markdown writes smoothly. Sync is stable, many export formats, data won't be lost.
For those who just want a quiet place to write without distractions, Day One is a good choice. The downside is the free version limits device numbers, and it lacks journal-style visual design.
For Powerful Task Management: Notion
Notion isn't a dedicated diary app, but its flexibility is indeed high.
Many people use it to build diary systems—using databases to manage entries, templates to format content. Advanced uses include automatic monthly summaries, cross-page associations of related content. Once proficient, the entire information management system can be built beautifully.
The cost is a relatively high learning curve. Notion has many features, but it's easy to get addicted to "building systems" rather than "actual recording." Plus its visual style runs cold—those pursuing cute interfaces might find it boring.
For Handwriting Experience on iPad: GoodNotes
GoodNotes is essentially a handwriting app, but many people use it for diaries.
With an Apple Pencil, the pen-and-paper feel is strong. Place a template, highlight with markers, and you have a beautiful journal. It's especially suitable for those with good handwriting—the handwriting is automatically optimized, looking neater than actual handwriting.
The downside is the cross-platform experience is average. If you mainly record on your phone, GoodNotes isn't that convenient. It's better for those who use iPad as their main tool.
Want Free to Get Started: Phone's Built-in Notes
Don't want to download new apps? Your phone's built-in notes can actually work as a diary.
The big advantage is no learning cost. Syncs quickly, data stored in the cloud. Write and save directly, no worry about losing it.
But that's about it. No templates, no reminders, no special features. Suitable for those who just want to try what "writing it down" feels like, or for temporary recording.
My Recommendation
Choosing a diary app is quite personal. Everyone has different needs, aesthetics, and habits.
My suggestion is: first clarify what you value most.
Want cute interface plus block editing convenience → CanJournals Want pure writing experience → Day One Want powerful features, can accept complex interface → Notion Want handwriting feel, iPad as main tool → GoodNotes Don't want to install anything → Notes
CanJournals is a good starting point for most people. Give it a try, it might be the one you've been looking for.