Looking for a Day One alternative? Meet Purple Diary
Day One is a lovely, well-made journal, and it is easy to see why people stick with it. But if you write across phones and laptops, or you want something free with no ads, a Day One alternative can fit your life better. Purple Diary gives you a real Windows app, Wear OS support, and an app lock with biometrics, free, on almost every device you own.
What Day One does well
Let's be fair first. Day One has been around a long time, and it shows. It is polished, pleasant to write in, and it is one of the most loved journals on Apple devices. It is known for end-to-end encryption, an Android app exists too, and the company clearly cares about the craft of the product. If you live entirely inside the Apple ecosystem and you are happy paying for a subscription, Day One is a fine choice.
The friction shows up at the edges. Most of Day One's features are part of a paid plan, so the free tier can feel limited once you start relying on it. And there is no Windows app, which is a real gap if your work computer runs Windows or you simply prefer it.
Where Purple Diary is a good Day One alternative
Purple Diary takes a different stance on a few of those points. The core journal and the app lock are free, with no ads anywhere. It runs on an unusually wide set of platforms, including a native Windows app from the Microsoft Store and a smartwatch app for Wear OS, not just Apple Watch. You still get a web app for the days you only have a browser.
Privacy is built in from the first screen. You set a PIN, and on supported devices you can unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a fingerprint. The app re-locks the moment you leave it, so handing your phone to a friend never means handing over your diary. Purple Diary shows no ads, does not sell your data, and does not reuse the content of your entries.
Purple Diary vs Day One at a glance
| Feature | Purple Diary | Day One |
|---|---|---|
| Free to use, no ads | Yes — core journal and lock are free | Most features are part of a paid plan |
| Shows ads | No | No |
| Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch) | Yes | Yes |
| Android app | Yes | Yes |
| Native Windows app | Yes | No |
| Wear OS smartwatch app | Yes | Typically not |
| App lock with biometrics | Yes | Yes |
| Mood tracking | Yes | Yes |
| 10 theme colors, light and dark | Yes | A smaller set of options |
| Web app | Yes | Yes |
Where exact details on another app's plan can change, the table keeps things general on purpose. The point is not that Day One is bad. It is that the right journal depends on the devices you use and how you feel about paying for the basics.
More than a place to type
A journal you switch to has to be a pleasant place to write. Purple Diary gives you a comfortable rich text editor, photo attachments and voice notes for the memories words cannot hold, mood tracking so you can look back and notice patterns, and a tagging system that makes any old entry easy to find. You can shape the space with ten light and dark theme colors, adjustable fonts and text sizes, and feed display options for how past entries appear. It is rated about 4.5 stars by more than 500 people.
If privacy is your main reason for switching, the diary app with a lock page goes deeper on how the lock works, and the free diary app page covers exactly what you get without paying.
Frequently asked questions
Is Purple Diary a good Day One alternative?
It is a good fit if you want a free journal with no ads, a real Windows app, Wear OS support, and an app lock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a fingerprint. Day One is a polished app that is strongest on Apple devices, but most of its features are part of a paid plan and it has no Windows app.
Does Purple Diary work on Windows?
Yes. Purple Diary has a native Windows app in the Microsoft Store, alongside apps for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, Android, Wear OS, and a web app. Your journal syncs across all of them.
Is Purple Diary really free?
Yes. It is free to download and use with no ads, and the app lock and core journaling are free. An optional subscription and a one-time lifetime purchase add extra premium features if you want them.
Can I lock my journal in Purple Diary?
Yes. You can set a PIN, and on supported devices unlock with Face ID, Touch ID, or a fingerprint. The app re-locks when you leave it, so your entries stay private even on a borrowed phone.