"Free" is one of the most abused words in app marketing. Many diary apps advertise as free but lock essential features behind subscriptions. Here's an honest breakdown of what you actually get without paying.
The Hidden Cost Problem
Before diving into specific apps, let's understand how "free" diary apps actually make money:
- Freemium paywalls: Basic features free, but photos, search, export, or sync require payment
- Entry limits: Free tier limits you to X entries per month
- Storage caps: Free until you hit 50MB, then you pay
- Time-limited trials: "Free" means 7 days, then $9.99/month
- Data monetization: The app is free because your data is the product
- Aggressive ads: Free but interrupted by ads every few entries
Understanding these models helps you evaluate whether an app is genuinely free or just pretending to be.
What "Actually Free" Means in This Guide
For this comparison, we consider an app "actually free" if it offers:
- Unlimited text entries (no monthly caps)
- Basic search functionality
- Data export capability
- No intrusive advertising
- Core journaling features without artificial limits
Best Truly Free Diary Apps in 2026
1. Hello Diary
What's Free: Unlimited text entries, voice journaling, on-device encryption, search, export
What's Paid: Cloud backup and sync across devices
The Catch: None for core journaling. Premium adds convenience features, not essential ones.
Hello Diary stands out for offering unlimited voice and text journaling completely free. The free version includes full encryption and all core features. You only pay if you want cloud backup for sync across devices. Importantly, there's no data mining — the free version is supported by optional premium upgrades, not your personal information.
2. Standard Notes
What's Free: Unlimited notes, end-to-end encryption, sync across devices
What's Paid: Themes, extensions, nested folders
The Catch: It's a notes app, not a diary app — no journal-specific features like prompts or mood tracking.
Standard Notes is genuinely generous with its free tier. The trade-off is that it's a general note-taking app, so you lose diary-specific features. But if you just want encrypted text entries, it's excellent and truly free.
3. Obsidian
What's Free: Unlimited local notes, extensive plugins, powerful linking
What's Paid: Cloud sync ($10/month), publish feature
The Catch: Steep learning curve. Mobile apps less polished. Need to manage your own files.
Obsidian is free for personal use and incredibly powerful. Your notes are plain Markdown files stored locally. The catch is complexity — it's built for power users, not simple diary keeping. The sync feature costs money, but you can use third-party sync solutions for free.
4. Joplin
What's Free: Unlimited notes, end-to-end encryption, open source
What's Paid: Joplin Cloud for easy sync (optional)
The Catch: Interface is dated. Sync requires technical setup if not using paid cloud.
Joplin is open-source and completely free. You can sync using Dropbox, OneDrive, or your own cloud storage at no cost. The app won't win design awards, but it's honest about what it offers.
5. Day One (Free Tier)
What's Free: One journal, basic entries, one photo per entry
What's Paid: Multiple journals, unlimited photos, audio entries, PDF export, advanced features
The Catch: The free tier is quite limited. Most people outgrow it quickly.
Day One is a beautiful app with a usable free tier, but it's clearly designed to push you toward premium. If you only need one journal with occasional photos, it works. But power users will hit walls quickly.
Apps That Aren't Really Free
These apps advertise as free but have significant limitations:
Journey
The free tier is so limited it's essentially a trial. Photos, audio, and many features are premium-only. Even basic customization requires payment.
Daylio
Advertised as free, but the free version has ads and limits exports. Mood tracking is the focus, not traditional journaling.
Penzu
Free tier exists but limits entries and lacks encryption. The marketing emphasizes "free" but the product pushes hard toward Pro.
Comparison Table: What's Actually Free?
| App | Unlimited Entries | Voice Journal | Encryption | No Ads | Export |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hello Diary | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Standard Notes | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Obsidian | ✅ | ❌ | ❌* | ✅ | ✅ |
| Joplin | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Day One (Free) | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ |
*Obsidian stores files locally; encryption depends on your device/sync setup
The Real Cost of "Free" Apps
When an app is truly free, you should ask: how do they pay for servers, development, and support? The honest answers are:
- Open source / community funded: Joplin, Standard Notes (partially)
- Freemium model: Premium users subsidize free users (Hello Diary, Day One)
- Local-only operation: No server costs (Obsidian free tier)
- Data monetization: Your information is sold (many "free" apps)
Options 1-3 are sustainable and user-friendly. Option 4 means you're paying with your privacy.
Choosing the Right Free Diary App
Consider your priorities:
- Maximum privacy + voice journaling: Hello Diary
- Cross-platform sync at no cost: Standard Notes or Joplin
- Power user features + local storage: Obsidian
- Beautiful design (with limitations): Day One free tier
Our Recommendation
If you want a genuinely free diary app with modern features, Hello Diary offers the best balance. You get unlimited entries, voice journaling, and encryption without artificial limits or ads. Premium exists for cloud backup, but the free experience is complete.