Best journal apps for Android: make memories that last a lifetime

Of course, not everyone agrees on the best method for preserving memories - for some visuals are the most impactful, for others writing down feelings and thoughts is preferable. Some want stats and tangible goals to work toward, others just want an archive of important life events. The good news is that we have something for everyone in this list!

Daylio

If you want to keep a diary without writing a single word, Daylio is the app for you. It allows you to record your mood every day, with choices from rad to awful. You can also enter activities from a list, such as work, relaxing, gaming and more, or create your own. Daylio is then able to find patterns and provide useful statistics with a monthly mood chart, allowing you to see which activities are affecting you negatively. The best part is that it can also help when trying to build better habits by allowing you to set goals.

We should also mention that Daylio has a strict privacy policy, meaning your entries are only yours to see. The app is free, but also offers a 'pay once, unlock forever' premium version, which is ad-free and gives you access to unlimited moods, goals, reminders and more.

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Journey

Life is a journey! This appropriately named app can help you document it. It is one of the best and most feature-full journaling apps on this list. It not only allows you to write down your thoughts and track your mood, but insert photos, videos and audio notes in your entries. You can even add places and the weather of the time of writing. If you are a fan of inspirational quotes, Journey has you covered there too - you can receive new ones daily.

More importantly, no matter what you choose to document, it will stay private. Journey allows you to keep your diary secret with a password or fingerprint locking. Your precious memories won't be lost either, thanks to the option to back them up in Google Drive. Of course, all these features have a price. You can test Journey in a 7-day free trial after which you will be charged either monthly or yearly.

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Project Life - Scrapbooking

A picture is worth a thousand words! Scrapbooking in general has the power to capture wonderful memories the way words sometimes can't. This is why we've included Project Life in our list. It allows you to choose from a variety of layouts, which you can then fill with photos or colorful designs that come bundles in kits. There are only four free kits and you need to purchase additional ones, but the free kits can be mixed and matched to produce dazzling designs.

Project Life also allows you seamlessly share your finished masterpieces with friends and family. It's a great photo journaling app and even though it doesn't offer stickers and other bedazzling elements you'd find on other apps, it has a great minimalist style and an easy-to-use interface.

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Penzu

If you are looking for a classic diary app, Penzu is probably one of the best bets on this list. The free version of the app is quite basic, allowing you to make text entries daily. However, unlike most of the other apps on this list, there doesn't seem to be the option to add any photos or videos. You can insert emojis and set writing reminders though.

Penzu also allows you to sync to the web and other mobile platforms with a focus on security. This unfortunately means that you will need to create an account to use the app. However, if you are looking for an uncomplicated diary app to write your thoughts in, this is one of the best choices, especially with the option to lock journals.

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Luna Diary

"Only the moon listens to my story silently" - this is what you will see when you first launch Luna Diary. It is one of the most unusual, but also one of the most stunning apps on this list. The beautiful landscape transforms as you share more with you diary - the number of stars and flowers multiplies. Of course, this is just the default theme. You will find a variety of gorgeous free and paid backgrounds with the same effects.

And below the surface, Luna Diary functions like a true digital diary - allowing you not only to write down your thoughts but to insert photos and videos into your entries. It's not only motivational, but stunning.

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Year in Pixels

If you are a person of few words but would still like to keep track of your moods, Year in Pixels is just the right app for you. Although we have previously mentioned it in our of apps of the week lists, it still deserves a mention here because of how unusual but interesting it is.

You can pick from different colored emojis representing a range of moods. The color of the selected mood will then appear in a calendar. If you keep making entries every day, by the end of the year you should have something that resembles abstract pixel art. It's not only a fun and unusual journal app, but it can also give you insight into what is causing you stress/negative feelings. Definitely check it out.

These are our selections of the best journal and diary apps for Android. What are your favorites? Anything we definitely need to insert in our list? Let us know in the comments.