Apple Journal alternative: a journal for every device, not just Apple's
Apple Journal is a clean, free app if every device you own is made by Apple. The catch is that it stays inside that world: iPhone, iPad, and Mac, with no Windows, Android, or web version, and an export that is a sealed ZIP rather than a door out. Innerholm is web-first, opens anywhere, and is built so your writing is yours to leave with. Here is an honest comparison.
Apple Journal and Innerholm are both private journals, but they fit different lives. Apple Journal is free and built into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with automatic photo and workout suggestions, and it now runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. What it does not do is leave the Apple ecosystem: there is no Windows, Android, or web app, and its export is a ZIP bundle meant for keeping a copy, not for moving into another journal. Innerholm is web-first with built-in sync, so the same journal opens on any device, your writing is built to stay portable, and every data-touching feature is off by default. Choose Apple Journal if all your devices are Apple and you want a free, native app; choose Innerholm if you use more than one ecosystem or want a journal you can always take with you.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Innerholm | Apple Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free early access (Innerholm+ planned) | Free, built into Apple OSes |
| Platforms | Web (any device) | iPhone, iPad, Mac only |
| Windows and Android | Yes, through the browser | No |
| Open in a browser | Yes, nothing to install | No, Apple devices only |
| Sync across devices | Built-in, nothing to configure | iCloud, Apple devices only |
| Export your writing | Built to stay portable | ZIP bundle or PDF, not made for migration |
| Automatic context (photos, workouts) | Not planned | Yes, suggested from your activity |
| Full-text search | Yes | Yes |
| Tags | Yes (inline #hashtag) | No tags |
| Journal types (Mood, Stoic, Sobriety, etc.) | Yes, purpose-built editions | One general journal |
| End-to-end encrypted option | Optional, per journal | Not offered as a choice |
| No content scanning commitment | Explicit commitment | No advertising use, less explicit on scanning |
| No AI training on your entries | Explicit commitment | Not Apple's stated practice, no written pledge cited here |
| AI features | Optional, off by default, opt-in per journal | On-device writing suggestions |
| Where your data lives | Innerholm servers (no-scan commitment) | Your device and iCloud |
Apple Journal platform, export, and feature details verified June 2026 (Journal reached iPad and Mac with iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe). "Partial" (amber) marks a feature that exists with limits or caveats.
Who each app is better for
Choose Innerholm if you...
- Use a Windows PC or an Android phone alongside, or instead of, Apple devices
- Want to open your journal in any browser, on a borrowed laptop, with nothing installed
- Care that your writing stays portable and you can leave with it
- Prefer a purpose-built edition (Mood, Stoic, Sobriety) over one general journal
- Want an explicit no-scanning, no-AI-training commitment in writing
- Like the option of per-journal end-to-end encryption for the entries that need it
Choose Apple Journal if you...
- Own only Apple devices and never need to write anywhere else
- Want a free app that is already installed and needs no account
- Like entries suggested automatically from your photos, workouts, and places
- Prefer your data to live on your device and in iCloud
- Are happy inside the Apple ecosystem and plan to stay there
- Do not need tags, editions, or a way to open your journal on the web
When people leave Apple Journal
Apple Journal is genuinely pleasant if your whole life runs on Apple hardware. People tend to look for an alternative the day that stops being true: a new work laptop running Windows, an Android phone in the family, a desire to write on the web, or the quiet worry that a journal you cannot open anywhere else is a journal you might lose access to.
That last point is the heart of it. Apple Journal can export a ZIP of your entries and save PDFs, which is fine for an archive, but it is not built to hand your writing cleanly to another app. Innerholm takes the opposite stance: your words should travel with you, not stay locked to one company's devices.
Privacy: two honest models
This is not a case of one app being private and the other not. Both take privacy seriously, in different ways.
Apple Journal keeps entries on your device and can sync through iCloud, and Apple does not use your journal for advertising. For someone fully inside the Apple ecosystem, that is a strong position. The trade-off is the same as everywhere else with Apple Journal: it only works if you stay on Apple devices.
Innerholm stores regular journals on its own servers so that sync and full-text search work from any browser, which means the infrastructure can technically read them to power those features. They are encrypted in transit and at rest, and Innerholm commits explicitly to no content scanning for any purpose, no AI training on your entries, no behavioural profiling, and no ads (one sign-in cookie, no third-party trackers). For the entries that need more, Innerholm offers optional per-journal end-to-end encryption, where the key is derived from your passphrase and never leaves your device. That is the "just for you" tier, and it is your choice, per journal.
Neither app should hold legally sensitive content without advice from a lawyer. For most people the choice comes down to reach: Apple Journal if you live entirely on Apple devices, Innerholm if you want the same journal everywhere with an explicit promise about what is never done with your words.
Frequently asked questions
Is Innerholm a good Apple Journal alternative?
Yes, if you use more than just Apple devices or want to open your journal in a browser. Apple Journal runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but there is no Windows, Android, or web version. Innerholm is web-first, so the same journal opens on any device with nothing to install. Apple Journal is the better fit if every device you own is made by Apple and you want a free app with automatic photo and workout suggestions.
What devices does Apple Journal work on?
As of 2026, Apple Journal runs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, after iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe brought it beyond the iPhone. It does not run on Windows, Android, or the web, and some context features are strongest on the iPhone. Innerholm runs in any modern browser, so the same journal opens on a phone, a laptop, and a work machine regardless of who made them.
Can I export my journal out of Apple Journal?
Apple Journal can export your entries as a single ZIP file that bundles your text, photos, and media, and you can save individual entries as PDFs or print them. The ZIP is meant for keeping a copy, not for moving cleanly into another journaling app. Innerholm is built so your writing stays yours to take with you.
How much does Apple Journal cost?
Apple Journal is free and built into iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, so there is no separate price if you already own Apple hardware. Innerholm is free during early access, with a paid Innerholm+ tier planned but not yet priced.
Is Apple Journal private?
Apple Journal stores entries on your device, can sync through iCloud, and is not used for advertising, which is a private model for people inside the Apple ecosystem. Innerholm stores regular journals on its servers to make sync and search work everywhere (so the infrastructure can technically read them), encrypted in transit and at rest, with an explicit commitment to no content scanning, no AI training, no profiling, and no ads. Innerholm also offers optional per-journal end-to-end encryption where the key never leaves your device.
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