Leaving Day One: what changes, and what comes with you
Day One is the most popular dedicated journal app, and its price has gone up more than once. This page is for somebody who has already started looking: what Innerholm does differently, what you give up, and how to bring the archive across. If you are still deciding between the two, the head-to-head comparison is here.
Innerholm is a privacy-focused private journal that commits explicitly to no content scanning and no AI training on your entries. Its core is free. Day One is a mature journaling app with native iOS and macOS apps, rich media support, and a deep feature set; its Silver tier is $49.99 a year and Gold is $74.99. Choose Innerholm if privacy and price are top priorities; choose Day One if you need native apps or audio entries.
Feature by feature
| Feature | Innerholm | Day One |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free · Innerholm+ $40/yr | Basic free, Silver $49.99/yr, Gold $74.99/yr |
| Platforms | Web (all devices) | iOS, macOS, Android, Web |
| Native apps | Web-only currently | iOS, macOS, Android |
| No content scanning commitment | Explicit commitment | Not explicitly stated |
| No AI training on your data | Explicit commitment | Not explicitly stated |
| End-to-end encryption | Optional, per journal | Optional, on every tier |
| Full-text search | Yes | Yes |
| Cross-device sync | Yes | Yes |
| Offline writing | Requires connection for sync | Yes (native apps) |
| Tags | Yes (inline #hashtag) | Yes |
| Favorites / starred | Yes | Yes (starred) |
| Calendar view | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple journals | Yes, plus purpose-built editions | Yes |
| Audio entries | Not planned | Yes |
| Photo attachments | Yes, inline in the entry | Yes |
| Mood tracking | Yes, chosen per journal, off until then | Yes |
| Weather capture | Yes, chosen per journal, off until then | Yes |
| On This Day memories | Yes, chosen per journal, off until then | Yes |
| Streaks | No streaks. Rhythm, a quiet count of your writing days, opt-in and off by default | Yes |
| Markdown editing | Yes (raw + rich text toggle) | Yes |
| Dark mode | Yes, in four palettes | Yes |
| Import from Day One | Yes (JSON ZIP; weather and tags come across, photographs not yet) | Yes (own format) |
| Export formats | Markdown ZIP and Day One ZIP, free | PDF, ZIP, JSON |
| Open source | No | No |
Day One tiers and prices checked 5 September 2026, from Day One's own pricing page; treat any figure here as of that date. "Partial" (amber) = feature exists but with limitations or caveats. Roadmap items are planned but not yet available.
Who each app is better for
Choose Innerholm if you...
- Want explicit privacy commitments, no content scanning, no AI training
- Are price-conscious, free now, affordable paid tier planned
- Journal primarily on the web or across different devices
- Are getting started and don't need advanced features yet
- Are reconsidering the Day One subscription on price
- Value data ownership, delete your account and everything is gone
Choose Day One if you...
- Need native iOS and macOS apps with offline writing
- Use audio or video entries
- Want On This Day memories and a wider import/export library
- Want a mature feature set with years of polish
- Need PDF export, or want photos and weather to travel with your entries
- Are in the Apple ecosystem and want deep integration
Switching from Day One to Innerholm
Day One now sells three tiers: Basic free, Silver at $49.99 a year, and Gold at $74.99 (checked 5 September 2026). If you are reconsidering the subscription, Innerholm is a natural landing spot, it is built for journalers, not note-takers or productivity users.
The Day One importer is live. Export your Day One journal as JSON (File → Export → JSON), then upload the ZIP to Innerholm. You can preview the first entries before anything is written. It maps:
- Entry text (Markdown) → Innerholm rich text
- Tags → Innerholm tags (created if new)
- Starred entries → Innerholm favorites
- Creation date → entry timestamp
Photographs are preserved in the archive but are not linked into entries yet, so keep your original Day One export until they are. And leaving again is just as easy: Innerholm exports back to a Day One-compatible ZIP, free.
Privacy: how they compare
Privacy is the sharpest difference between the two apps.
Day One offers optional end-to-end encryption on every tier, its free one included, so on encryption itself there is nothing to choose between the two apps and we would rather say so. It has to be actively enabled in both. What Day One's privacy policy does not do is explicitly rule out scanning unencrypted entries for service improvement.
Innerholm also offers optional end-to-end encryption, turned on per journal rather than per plan. Titles and bodies are sealed on your device under a key derived from your passphrase that never reaches the server, so an encrypted journal is unreadable to us. A regular Innerholm journal is stored where the server can read it, which is what makes sync and full-text search work, and it comes with explicit commitments: no content scanning for any purpose, no AI training on your journal text, no behavioural profiling, and no advertising. Every data-touching feature (weather, mood, analytics) is off by default and requires your consent to enable.
The honest trade in both apps is the same: encryption costs you search inside that journal, because searching means something can read it. Neither app should be used for legally sensitive content without consulting a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Innerholm a good Day One alternative?
Innerholm is a strong Day One alternative if privacy and price are priorities. Day One Silver costs $49.99 a year and Gold $74.99, and neither tier explicitly commits to no content scanning. Innerholm's core is free, commits to no content scanning and no AI training on your data, and is web-first so it works on any device without a native app. Day One is better if you need native iOS/macOS apps, rich media (audio, video), or a mature feature set.
How much does Day One cost in 2026?
Day One has three tiers: Basic is free, Silver is $49.99 a year, and Gold is $74.99 a year, with a one-month free trial started inside the app (checked 5 September 2026). Innerholm's core is free. Innerholm+ is $40/year. Switching from Day One to Innerholm costs nothing.
Can I import my Day One journal into Innerholm?
Yes. The Day One importer is live. Export your Day One journal as JSON (File > Export > JSON) and upload the ZIP to Innerholm, with a preview of the first entries before anything is saved. It maps entry text, tags, starred entries, and creation dates. Photos and weather are not carried across yet, so keep your original export until they are.
Does Day One offer end-to-end encryption?
Day One offers optional end-to-end encryption on every tier, its free one included, so encryption is not something either app charges for. It must be actively enabled in both, and uses local keys in both. Innerholm also offers optional end-to-end encryption, turned on per journal rather than per plan, and free on every account: titles and bodies are sealed on your device under a key derived from your passphrase, and that key never reaches the server. A journal you leave unencrypted is server-readable, which is what makes sync and full-text search work, and it carries an explicit commitment to no content scanning and no AI training on your writing.
Does Innerholm work offline?
Innerholm is web-based and currently requires an internet connection for sync. Entries created offline would need to be synced when you reconnect. Day One's native apps write locally first and sync when connected, giving better offline writing support. Offline-first support is on Innerholm's longer-term roadmap.
Also compare: Innerholm vs Day One, head to head · Innerholm vs Bear · Innerholm vs Journey · Best journal apps