- The Best Journal Apps For Macbook
- The Best Journal Apps For Macbook Pro
- Best Journal For Mac
- Best Journal Apps Ios
- Best Journal Apps For Macbook Pro
While Apple Notes checks off most of the boxes, it may not fit into everyone’s needs. This is where the best Notes app alternatives for Mac come into the play.
It is probably the best Journal app available for mac.Easy to add entries, locations weather. Also looks amazing ? helpful 0 Comments Share. MacJournal 7.0.4 - Create, maintain, and blog a personal journal. Download the latest versions of the best Mac apps at safe and trusted MacUpdate.
Aside from making the task of note-taking pretty straightforward, these third-party apps also double up as a super handy annotation and writing tool. Besides, they allow creating projects in many formats like text, audio, video, and whatnot.
Though the App Store has several fine options, only a few have walked into our list of the top note-taking apps for Mac. We’ve chosen them based on their effectiveness and how well they work. Dive right in along with me to take a close look at ’em!
#1. Evernote
Despite the cut-throat competition, “Evernote” remains one of the most appreciable note-taking apps both for macOS and iOS. The highlight of this app is the wide range of tools that provide more flexibility.
The option to make notes in several formats like video, audio, web clippings, sketch ensure you are able to give your thoughts the right shape. With easy-to-format word processor at your disposal, you can write your thoughts elegantly.
You can create an agenda to be discussed in a meeting, write a quick memo and transfer your Evernote notes to Apple notes.
Often forget to do some important tasks? Make a checklist of all the things you have to do. Besides, you will also create presentations to express your thoughts with the desired impact.
Price: Free
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#2. Microsoft OneNote
“OneNote” is a complete package. The app lets you capture your ideas in a variety of formats and offer you the needed freedom to keep everything in the perfect sync.
You can tag your notes to find them quickly. Make a list of to-dos and keep track of them so that you are able to do your tasks in time.
The collaboration features works immaculately, allowing you to work with your colleagues. For more security, you will also add an extra shield to your projects to keep them private.
Better still, OneNote for Mac is compatible with a ton of international languages including French, German, Greek, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish and more. So, a language should never become a roadblock to your note-taking.
Price: Free
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#3. Notebook
Zoho Corporation is well-known for producing powerful apps. And Notebook does have all the qualities to be highly efficient.
While there is a lot to like in this app, I find “Smart Cards” very adorable. What it basically does is automatically format the contents into specific cards like the recipe, video, and link.
The app provides several predefined note covers to let you design your stories elegantly. If you don’t like the readymade options, you can create a custom cover. Moreover, there is also an option to make public notes using shareable links so that anyone can view them.
With the dark-themed night mode, you will enjoy working till late at night. Plus, the reminders won’t let any of your tasks go out of your notice.
Price: Free
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Download
#4. Bear
The Best Journal Apps For Macbook
Should you want to have a top-notch writing-cum note-taking app for your Mac, give a close look to Bear. I’ve used this app for long and always found pretty neat.
The best thing about it is the simple interface coupled with the easy-to-use tools. Therefore, you can write amazing stories and give your wildest thoughts the ideal shape.
Bear has a good library of more than a dozen themes that make it a lot easier to design stories. Features like tagging, archiving and adding tasks to notes enable to take control of your stuff. Furthermore, you can export your projects in multiple formats such as HTML, PDF, DOCX, MD, JPG, and EPUB.
Lastly, after a free trial of one week, you will have to upgrade to Bear premium’s $1.49 monthly or $14.99 annually plan.
Price: Free
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Download
#5. Agenda
If you want to streamline all of your projects and get them ready before the deadline, pick out “Agenda.” One of the notable features of this app is the advanced text editor.
Depending on the specific theme, you can give a befitting look to your notes. It allows you to convert your text into multiple formats like Markdown and HTML. Segregate your files into different categories so that will access them instantly.
The app lets you connect your sticky notes to the events in your personal calendar. As a result, you can plan your meeting perfectly.
Better still, you don’t have to pay any bucks to use all the features of Agenda.
Price: Free
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#6. Notability
For annotation and crafting rich notes, “Notability” is one of the better options. With a wide range of fonts, sizes, custom colors at your disposal, you can design your stories with complete peace of mind.
You will be able to import PDFs, DOCs, PPTs, images, GIFs to your projects and fine-tune them with more flexibility. Easily convert your stories into PDF to share them with your friends and colleagues.
Make the most of the super handy tools to annotate photos elegantly. Thanks to the automatic iCloud syncing, your tasks automatically sync across your devices.
Additionally, Notability works with multiple cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, and OneDrive.
Price: $9.99
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Download
#7. Simplenote
There are very few note apps for Mac that look as familiar as Simplenote. Its user interface is pretty clean, and you hardly have to spend any time to master the tools.
One of my favorite feature of this app is focus mode. Times when you want to write with maximum concentration, this feature comes into play really well.
You can use pins and tags to organize your notes. And with Markdown, you will ideally format your projects. To ensure your eyes don’t burn while working in the night, the app comes with the dark mode.
Price: Free
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#8. GoodNotes
I have picked out GoodNotes for a couple of main reasons. First, it makes annotating docs really fun. And if you are fond of giving your docs a creative look, this one can be your thing.
You can highlight or strikeout the text in your PDF documents. Easily move, scale and ideally customize the object color. There is also an option to add the bookmarks to your docs.
Courtesy the fast iCloud sync, you will find your notes on all of your devices. You can share your notes with others and also print them. The compatibility with a number of languages like English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese and more make it an evergreen tool.
Price: $7.99
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#9. Quip
“Quip” is a lot more than just a simple note app for macOS. To be more precise, this is what you should use to collaborate with your teammates. Thanks to the chat and messaging integration, it helps you work with your colleagues in a fun way.
You can use the app to note down your thoughts faster, create to-do lists, and edit your docs. It also lets you make comprehensive spreadsheets.
Another notable feature of this app is that it allows you to import your address book from several services like Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, Microsoft Outlook, Google, and iCloud.
You will create insightful charts by using the data from spreadsheets and Salesforce records. The smart slides would not just make your presentation more impressive but also save your time.
Price: Free
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Download
#10. BoostNote
If you are a developer, “BoostNote” should be your preferred option. The reason why I say it because the app has the support for code syntax highlighting in over a hundred languages such as Javascript, Python, HTML, CSS and more.
This open source markdown editor offers several tools that allow devs to take notes faster. The formatting features have semi-live previews so that you can quickly check your writing.
Besides, the text is automatically formatted as you type, which speeds up your task and also saves plenty of time. That’s not all, BoostNote works offline as well so that you can work anytime and anywhere.
Price: Free
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Download
Bonus
Unclutter
“Unclutter” is really smart! It’s designed to be a multitasker and lets you organize your clipboard data, files, and notes. If you aren’t able to take control of them, give it a chance to sort out the mess.
You can keep an eye on your clipboard history and manage it with ease. Store all of your files at once place and access them quickly. And yes, make sticky notes to never forget to do essential things.
The easy editing tools allow you to make changes conveniently. Due mainly to the quick search feature, you will instantly find a list. Besides, the app can be set up with Dropbox to sync data across the devices.
The Best Journal Apps For Macbook Pro
Price: $13.99
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That’s pretty much it! So, this sums up our roundup of the top note apps for Mac.
What’s your favorite?
Now that you have known our favorite note apps, tell us about the ones that can walk into your personal roundup. We’d really appreciate your collection and the valuable feedback.
Take a glance at the following posts as well:
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
- https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/dhvanesh/
For years I've tried to keep a journal for my life and work. I've purchased several paper journals, ranging from the Five Minute Journal, the Self Journal, and others.
Despite these attempts, I never established a habit of regular journaling.
Some days I'd forget to bring it with me, other days I'd get too busy to spend the time to write. I recognized the importance of regular reflection & planning, but the habit didn't stick.
Then I tried a digital journal. At the time, I started using OhLife (which is now shut down). The app was simple - every day (or week), I'd receive a notification in my email inbox encouraging me to reply. I'd add a response over email. It was super simple to use, and the habit stuck! I could even see past entries directly over email.
Criteria
This made me realize that digital journals have massive benefits, especially if you need help establishing the habit. We wrote more about the benefits of digital journals vs. paper journals if you'd like to learn more. We've also written a guide to journaling prompts as well.
In the rest of this post, I'm going to share a list of digital journaling apps that you can use to kickstart a regular habit of reflection & planning. We will make sure to highlight things like:
- Cost
- Features
- Reviews/Downloads
- Other bits of important information
Ok, let's kick this off!
1.) The Five Minute Journal App
The Five Minute Journal app is based off the bestselling physical journal. In the morning you receive specific prompts on your iPhone/Android like:
- I am grateful for...
- What will I do to make today great?
Then in the evening, you can answer questions like:
- 3 amazing things that happened today
- How could I have made today even better?
Additionally, you can add a photo to your post and you'll receive a daily quote that you can share on social media. This is an effective structure and covers the key aspects of journaling. It's ideal for beginners who are trying to build a regular habit of journaling, but if you're looking to customize entries, prompts, and the cadence; you may need to look elsewhere.
Best Journal For Mac
The app has close to a 5-star review (over 10,000 reviews) on the Google Play store and iTunes.
Cost: $4.99
2.) Day One
Day One is a personal journaling app that is available across the entire iOS ecosystem & Android (it even comes with a Mac app). This app is much more free-form than structured apps like Friday or the Five Minute Journal; it's a bit more like an open-ended digital diary.
There's quite a few useful features you may like in Day One:
- Tagging
- Advanced Encryption/Security
- Various integrations (it will pull in your posts from other systems, available on the Premium plan)
- Location tagging
- Markdown formatting
- Export/backup options
You can see more in this video review below:
The only downside to Day One is that it's open-ended, so you will need to come up with your own journaling prompts. For beginners, staring at an empty page can be intimidating.
Cost: $35/year
![The best journal apps for mac os The best journal apps for mac os](/uploads/1/3/4/1/134124343/958802804.jpg)
3.) Friday.app
We are biased here, but we think you should look at Friday to kickstart a regular habit of digital journaling. First of all, it's free (you can get started here).
Unlike the others in this list, we offer a completely customizable way to build any regular habit of reflection, gratitude, writing, and more. You can use our routine builder to setup a perfect cadence for your needs.
Why does customization matter?
Most apps require that you adapt your behavior so it matches how the tool functions. It turns out, behavior change is difficult. With Friday, you can customize the routine, which means you are much more likely to create the behavior over the long run.
You can see above that you can customize the writing prompts. When giving an update, we'll automatically pull in past responses in a sidebar.
If you want, you can go beyond personal journaling and use Friday with your team as well for routines like daily standups, weekly updates, and more.
4.) Penzu
Next up, we have Penzu, one of the earliest digital journaling apps available (their Wikipedia says they were founded in 2008). Penzu is very similar to Day One, as it's more of a freeform diary app vs. being a structured journal. It boasts over 2 million users.
Penzu offers a free plan, and two paid offerings. The free plan offers unlimited entries, access to mobile apps, and basic font options. Yes, the reminders are included in the free plan.
Unfortunately, the app seems to have lost a bit of its luster over the past couple of years - it looks like only one founder is still working on the project (see LinkedIn company page). The app currently has a 4.3 star rating on the iTunes store and 4.3 stars on the Play store.
The paid offerings have features like:
- Encryption
- Various Journal Covers
- Different Background colors
- Tagging
- Search
- Custom reminders
- PDF Export
Cost: $19-$49/year
Friday might be an interesting alternative worth considering.
5.) Dabble.me
As I mentioned in the beginning of the article, I used to use Ohlife before it shut down. Dabble.me is the closest alternative I've found to the email-based journaling method. As I mentioned before, this app delivers an email on a regular interval. All you need to do is reply via email. You can see in the screenshot below, it will also show a past update:
If you live in your email inbox, this is worth a second look. The free plan offers restricted functionality, like the email notifications are sent every other week.
The paid offering unlocks the following features, such as:
- Ability to change the frequency
- Attach a photo
- Edit entries
- Rich text formatting
- Year in Review
If you are looking for a simple way to start journaling, Dabble.me is worth a look, or you could consider an alternative.
Cost: $36/year
6.) Daybook
Daybook is another journaling app similar to Day One or Penzu. The user experience is extremely minimal (see example below), but it's a free app and appears to be still in beta.
One major benefit is that the app is free. It has over 16,000 reviews on the Google Play store as well, with close to a 5-star rating. There's an iOS app as well.
Cost: Free
7.) Journey.cloud
Journey is the new kid on the block and appears to be the most popular regular journaling app in this list, with over 65,000 reviews on the Google Play store and nearly 2,000 reviews on iTunes. Once again, it's pretty similar to Penzu and Day One, but it looks like Journey is a newer, more up-to-date version work exploring.
Similar to other apps, the free plan offers basic journaling capabilities, but you will need to upgrade to access advanced functionality like:
- Formatting
- Unlimited entries
- Create an entry from email
- Pull in social media posts from Zapier
This pricing isn't obvious from their website, which is a little disappointing and a bit sketchy. With that being said, they seem to have many happy users.
P.S. - if you're looking for an alternative to Journey.cloud, we might be able to help.
Cost: $30/year
8.) Daylio
Ok, here's an interesting pick. Daylio: a 'micro diary and mood tracker.' I've been using it for a couple weeks and have found it to be an interesting alternative to the traditional journaling apps.
Unlike traditional journaling apps, you are prompted to journal with 'labels' and short snippets of text vs. being a pure 'writing' app. You also share your general mood/sentiment on a regular basis.
This breaks down the barriers to journaling because it's so easy to use. This app boasts a crazy number of reviews on the Google play store - over 250k! Additionally, the iOS app has over 20k reviews.
The free plan restricts certain feature and is ad-supported. The premium plan offers the following functionality:
- Unlimited moods
- Unlimited reminders
- Unlimited goals
- Ability to export entries
- Automatic backups
- Various themes
Overall, I really like the approach Daylio is taking, especially for people who are new to journaling. With that being said, I think there is immense power to spending some time writing things down in a structured way. Sentiment tracking is only one piece of the puzzle.
Cost: $9
9.) 750 Words
Here's our final pick - it's called 750 Words and it's based on morning pages from the book, The Artist's Way. The general theme is that you should write in a stream of consciousness. The process can be therapeutic. 750 words will keep track of your word count, sentiment, and how frequently you write, which can be helpful to know.
You can see a bit more of the user experience from this video:
Best Journal Apps Ios
If you are a writer or someone who wants to write more often (like me), you should check this out. If you are a beginner, this habit takes quite a bit of effort to stick.
Cost: $60/year
Best Journal Apps For Macbook Pro
Wrapping up
In conclusion, there are a ton of various apps to choose from. We recommend focusing on establishing the habit first - the various features won't make a huge difference if you don't make journaling a regular habit.
That's why you should try Friday (get started for free). We are the only fully customizable tool available, which means that you can mold the software to fit your needs instead of trying to create new behaviors that confirm to how the app functions. That won't work in the long run.