Day One Alternative: How to Move Your Journal to Another App

Looking for a Day One alternative? Export first, check the file, then import. Steps for five apps, sourced prices, and what to keep in mind before you switch.

To move your journal to another app, export your entries from the old app in the most complete format it offers. Open the file to confirm it has your text and photos, then import it into the new app and spot-check a few entries before you cancel anything. Day One, Journey, Diarium, Daylio and Apple Journal all offer some export; the formats differ.

Prices and steps below were checked on 30 September 2026 against each company's own pages. Apps change, so treat them as a starting point and check the current help page.

Before you switch: three rules

Export before you cancel. Some features, including exports, may depend on your plan or your device. Make the copy while you still have access.
Keep the original export. Store it in two places. Even if the import works, the file is your safety net.
Test with a small batch. Import a month first. Check that dates, photos and tags arrived, then do the rest.

How to export from Day One

Day One's own guide lists PDF, JSON, plain text or Markdown, and CSV (on iOS and Android) as export formats. JSON is described as best for re-importing into Day One itself. PDF includes formatted text and photos inline. The CSV contains entry text and the date only (source).

Mac: File, then Export, then choose a format. To export only some entries, switch to List view, select them, right-click and choose Export.
iOS: Day One, then Settings, then Import/Export. Pick the journal and date range, optionally filter by tags, choose a format and save with the share sheet.
Limits noted by Day One: tables do not render in iOS PDF exports, and PDF is not available on the web or Windows apps. "Save to Files" on iOS saves plain text with all formatting stripped.
For Start From Done: export JSON. If you export from the web or Windows app, check the file is not empty, because Day One notes that JSON exports from those apps may produce a 0-byte file.

How to export from Journey

Journey's help center documents Word (.docx) export. For Word: on iOS, tap your profile picture, then Preferences, then Data and Cloud services, choose a cloud service, and select DOCX. On Android, tap your profile picture, then Settings, then Data and Cloud services, choose a cloud service, and select DOCX. On Mac, PC or Linux, go to Settings, then Database, then Bulk Export, then Journal Entries, then DOCX. Journey notes that video cannot be exported to .docx and only thumbnails are generated (source).

For Start From Done, export a ZIP instead (source). On iOS go to Settings, Data and Cloud Services, choose a cloud service, then Export/Backup. On Android go to Preferences, Data and Cloud Services, choose a cloud service, then Export/Cloud Backups. On desktop go to Settings, Data and Cloud Services, choose a cloud service, then Export/Backup.

How to export from Daylio

Daylio offers two routes in its knowledge base. The Backup File contains all your entries, moods, activities and settings, and must be exported manually through Advanced Options (source). That file is described as a backup and a way to move between Android and iOS. For a readable copy, use the PDF export. Choose a period (last 7 days, last 30 days, last week, last month or all time), optionally include counts, then save or email the PDF (source). Daylio warns that a large PDF can exhaust the phone's memory. If it fails, try exporting without photos or a shorter period.

Start From Done imports a Daylio CSV. Daylio's help pages do not document a CSV export, so if your app can export a CSV, use that. Otherwise confirm the export options in your version of the app before relying on it.

Daylio is mostly moods and short notes, so a PDF may be all you want to keep.

How to export from Diarium

Diarium's site says you can export your journal in Word (.docx), plain text (.txt), web page (.html) or JSON. It lists Word export among its Pro features. Diarium Pro is a one-time in-app purchase per platform on Android, iPhone, iPad and Mac, with the Windows app already including it (source). The help page does not give a menu path, so open the app's settings and look for Export. If you want a PDF, export a web page and print it to PDF from your browser.

How to export from Apple Journal

Apple Journal does have an export. On iPhone, open Settings, then Apps, then Journal, then tap Export All Journal Entries. Apple says photos, locations and other media are included, and everything arrives as a single ZIP file called "AppleJournalEntries" that you save with the Files app. In iOS 18 or later you can also print entries or save them as PDFs. Apple also notes that Journal entries are not included in an unencrypted iPhone backup, so an encrypted local backup is needed if you want one (source).

Prices, side by side

App	Free tier	Paid price	Source, checked 30 Sep 2026
Day One	Yes	Silver $49.99/year (includes some AI features), Gold $74.99/year (all AI features); both billed annually only	dayoneapp.com pricing guide
Rosebud	Yes	Bloom $12.99/month, or $107.99/year	rosebud.app
Diarium	Yes, on most platforms	Pro is a one-time purchase per platform; price shown in the app	diariumapp.com
Start From Done	Yes, core is free	Pro: $59.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, $9.99 a month, or $149 once (Founding Lifetime, first 500)	startfromdone.com/app

Day One renamed its Premium plan to Silver in March 2026, according to its pricing guide. We did not verify current prices for Journey or Daylio, so they are not in the table. Check each store listing before you decide.

What travels well and what does not

Text and dates move easily. Almost everything else depends on the format you export and the app you import into. Some general guidance, without promising what any one app will accept:

Text and dates: nearly every format carries them. Plain text and Markdown are the most portable.
Photos: PDF and Word keep photos inline but make them hard to reuse. JSON or ZIP exports usually keep photos as separate files, which is better for importing.
Tags, moods, weather and location: these are the fields most likely to be lost or flattened, so check them first in your spot-check.
Audio and video: Journey's own help page says video becomes a thumbnail in Word export. Keep the original files from your device or cloud storage as a separate backup.

If a format looks like it will lose something you care about, export twice. Make one readable copy (PDF or Word) and one copy in the most complete data format the app offers (JSON, ZIP or backup file). The readable copy is for you. The data file is for importing.

Which kind of app suits which person

You want a long-term archive of memories: Day One and Diarium are built for it, and both have export.
You want an AI companion to talk to: Rosebud is designed around conversation.
You want quick mood tracking: Daylio.
You want to work toward a goal, not only record days: that is the gap Start From Done is built for. You write the goal as already done, name the obstacle, work backward to a 45-minute action, and log evidence. The method is explained at Reverse Journaling.

Some people keep two apps: an archive for memories and a goal app for forward motion. Switching does not have to mean deleting one.

Importing into Start From Done

Start From Done has a free import that runs on your device, so the reading of your exported file happens on your phone or computer. Export from your old app first, using the steps above, then choose your file in the import screen. Start From Done imports Day One (JSON or zip), Journey (zip), Daylio (CSV), Markdown, text and generic JSON files, on your device. Check a few entries afterward for dates and text.

If you are also curious about the method, these pages help: how to manifest your dreams, the done list and future self journal prompts.

After the move: a short checklist

Spot-check five entries from different years.
Confirm the text and dates came across.
Keep the export archive for at least a few months.
Only then cancel your old subscription, the way you signed up for it.

Day One, Journey, Daylio, Diarium, Rosebud and Apple Journal are trademarks of their owners. Start From Done is not affiliated with them.

Questions

How do I export my journal from Day One?

On Mac choose File, then Export. On iOS go to Day One, Settings, then Import/Export. Day One lists PDF, JSON, plain text or Markdown, and CSV on iOS and Android.

Does Apple Journal have an export?

Yes. On iPhone go to Settings, Apps, Journal, then Export All Journal Entries. Apple says you get a ZIP file with photos and other media included.

How much does Day One cost?

Day One has a free plan. Silver is $49.99 a year and Gold is $74.99 a year, billed annually. Gold includes all of Day One's AI features, according to Day One's pricing guide checked on 30 September 2026.

What is a good Day One alternative?

It depends on what you want. Diarium suits a private archive, Rosebud suits conversation, Daylio suits mood tracking, and Start From Done suits working toward a goal.

Can I import my old journal into Start From Done?

Yes. It has a free import that runs on your device. Export from your old app first, then choose the file in the app. Supported: Day One (JSON or zip), Journey (zip), Daylio (CSV), Markdown, text and generic JSON.