How to choose a journal app: a 10-point privacy checklist

The same app can be perfect for one person and wrong for another. First decide what kind of journal you will keep, then read the list below with that need in mind.

If a short daily entry is enough for you, a mood journal can be a good place to start.

1. 1Where does my data live? Only on your phone, or on the company's server? How to check: search the privacy policy for “server”, “cloud” and “sync”, and look at the list of collected data in the store's privacy section.
2. 2Is an account required? A required account means your journal is tied to an identity and a server. How to check: does the first screen ask for an email or a sign-in?
3. 3Is there an app lock? Your journal should lock separately even when your phone is unlocked. How to check: does the store description mention Face ID, Touch ID, fingerprint or PIN lock?
4. 4How do backup and export work? A single file backup saves your journal when you switch phones or the app shuts down. How to check: see whether the backup includes photos and voice notes and whether it can be restored on another device.
5. 5Are there ads or ad SDKs? Apps that show ads usually process data such as the advertising identifier with third parties. How to check: look at the tracking and shared data headings in the store's privacy section.
6. 6What does analytics collect? Many apps use usage analytics; what matters is whether your journal content and identity are part of it. How to check: look for the analytics provider's name in the privacy policy and whether mood values or note text are sent.
7. 7How is sensitive data handled? Menstrual cycle, health and emotion records are the most sensitive data there is. How to check: see whether the feature is optional, whether the data stays on the device and whether it can be deleted separately.
8. 8What is the pricing model, and what stays free? You should still be able to reach your entries after a subscription ends. How to check: see whether the free tier limits journaling itself, and whether the trial length and cancellation terms are stated clearly.
9. 9Does it work offline? A journal that works offline opens anywhere, and it is also a sign that data is not constantly sent to a server. How to check: open the app in airplane mode and try adding an entry.
10. 10Can I delete my data? You should be able to delete your journal completely. How to check: look at the in-app delete options and the store's data deletion information; for services with a server, check the policy on whether deleting your account deletes your data.

Both stores show a privacy section on the app's page. On the App Store it is called App Privacy; on Google Play it is Data safety. Both are the fastest thing you can check before downloading.

The App Store section shows whether collected data is linked to your identity and whether it is used to track you. In Apple's definition, tracking means linking data an app collects about you or your device with other companies' data for targeted advertising or ad measurement, or sharing it with data brokers. Google Play's Data safety section shows what data is collected, whether it is shared with third parties, whether it is encrypted in transit and whether you can request that it be deleted.

• You must create an account to write, and nothing says where your data is stored.
• The privacy label's data used to track you heading is filled in.
• There is no privacy policy, you cannot find it, or it says your journal content is analyzed or shared.
• There is no backup or export option at all.
• You lose access to your old entries when a subscription ends.
• Cycle or health data is on by default and cannot be deleted separately.

“Encrypted journal” can mean two different things. An app lock asks for Face ID, a fingerprint or a PIN to open the journal; it stops someone holding your phone from reading it. Encryption makes the data itself unreadable, which matters most when data goes to a server and has to be protected in transit and in storage.

If data never goes to a server, the risk comes down to the phone itself: your screen lock and the operating system's protection are the first line of defense, the app lock is the second. If you have turned on iCloud or Google backup for your phone, that backup depends on the security of your Apple or Google account. If data goes to a service's cloud, ask whether it is end-to-end encrypted and who holds the key.

To show how the checklist works, we applied it to our own app. We included the unflattering answers too, because a checklist only helps if it is applied honestly.

The limits are clear too: Pixmood has no web version and no sync between devices, you cannot write from a computer, and it is built for short daily entries rather than long writing. If those are essential for you, apply the checklist to another app.

1. 1Pick the type that matches your need from the table above.
2. 2Open the privacy section on the store page and check the tracking and linked data headings.
3. 3Find where data is stored in the privacy policy.
4. 4Install the app and try adding an entry in airplane mode.
5. 5Turn on the lock and try creating a backup file.
6. 6Use only this app for the first week, then decide.

If you are still weighing methods, start with our comparison of the ways to keep a journal online, and if you wonder why journaling helps at all, read our summary of the research.