# Journaling apps, compared honestly

> These pages compare journaling apps feature by feature: how you journal, what you get back, how emotions are handled, what it costs. Leeway is the new one: an AI voice journal opening soon on iPhone, built by us, which every page says. Facts about the established apps come from their own sites and are dated.

Source: https://joinleeway.app/compare/ · updated 2026-10-17

Most journaling app comparisons are written by an app maker who ranks itself first without saying so. We build Leeway too, so we say it at the top of every page, describe Leeway only by what it is designed to do, and check every fact about other apps on their own websites and App Store pages, with the date we checked.

The comparisons look at the same things every time: how you journal (writing, voice, guided questions), what the app gives you back after an entry, how it handles emotions, what it shows over time, whether it suggests something to do next, which platforms it runs on, and what it costs. Each page also says where the other app is stronger, because a comparison that never admits that is not much use.

Leeway's angle is narrow on purpose: you talk for a couple of minutes in the evening, it names what you felt, shows your emotional reserve and your mental load, and keeps one small step for tomorrow. If you want a long-form diary, a photo journal or a mood tracker, another app on these pages may suit you better.

## Leeway compared, one app at a time

- [Rosebud vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/rosebud-vs-leeway/index.md): An established AI journal next to a new voice journal for iPhone.
- [How We Feel vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/how-we-feel-vs-leeway/index.md): A free emotion check-in app next to a new voice journal for iPhone.
- [Apple Journal vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/apple-journal-vs-leeway/index.md): Apple's free Journal app next to a new voice journal for iPhone.
- [Day One vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/day-one-vs-leeway/index.md): A long-running journal app next to a new voice journal for iPhone.
- [Stoic vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/stoic-vs-leeway/index.md): A guided journal with daily routines next to a new voice journal.
- [Untold vs Leeway](https://joinleeway.app/compare/untold-vs-leeway/index.md): Two voice-first journals: Untold today, Leeway opening soon.

## Best-of lists

- [Best voice journal apps](https://joinleeway.app/compare/best-voice-journal-apps/index.md): Six ways to journal out loud, and what each gives back.
- [Best AI journal apps](https://joinleeway.app/compare/best-ai-journal-apps/index.md): What the AI in each journal app does, and what it costs.
- [Rosebud alternatives](https://joinleeway.app/compare/rosebud-alternatives/index.md): Five apps to weigh against Rosebud, and one to watch.

## Questions

### Why should I trust a comparison written by Leeway?

You should read it knowing who wrote it, which is why every page says so at the top. We only describe Leeway by what it is designed to do, we check facts about other apps on their own pages and date them, and each comparison has a section on where the other app is stronger.

### Can I use Leeway today?

Not yet. Leeway opens on iPhone first. Joining the waitlist gets you one email when it does. Until then, the other apps on these pages are all available, and some of them are free.

### What if a fact on these pages is out of date?

Prices and features change often. Each page shows the date we checked the facts, and links to the sources. Check the app's own page before you pay for anything.

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Leeway is a new AI voice journal for iPhone, opening soon: you answer one evening question out loud for a couple of minutes, it names what you felt, shows your emotional reserve and your mental load, and keeps one small step for tomorrow. Waitlist: https://joinleeway.app/. Leeway is not a substitute for professional care. In the US, call or text 988 if you are going through a hard time, or 911 in an emergency.