A gratitude journal app is a phone app for writing down what you are thankful for each day, usually with reminders, prompts and a way to look back at old entries. The best one is the one you will still open in three months, which depends on how you like to write, how much structure you want and how private you need it to be. This guide compares paper with phone and four real apps.
A note on trust. manifestlings is our own app; it is listed among the options, and no app paid to be here. App details below come from each app's own App Store page as of 29 September 2026. Prices and features change, so where a price matters we write "see the store page" and leave the numbers to the store.
What a gratitude journal is for
A gratitude journal is a small daily habit: you notice a few good things and put them into words. Some studies, including work summarised by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, link regular gratitude practice with better wellbeing. The effects tend to be modest, and not every study agrees, so it is best treated as a gentle habit and not a cure for anything.
What it does well is train your attention. When you know you will be writing three good things tonight, you catch them in the daytime. That small shift is the real product, whether it lives on paper or on a screen. If you need ideas for what to write, the gratitude journal prompts page has plenty, and the manifestation journal prompts cover the wish side of journaling.
Paper or app: how to decide
Both work. The question is which one you will keep using, so it helps to be honest about your habits.
| Question | Paper notebook | Gratitude journal app |
|---|---|---|
| Reminders | You must remember | Notifications nudge you |
| Distractions | None | Your phone is right there |
| Looking back | Flip pages | Search, calendar or streak view |
| Privacy | Lock it in a drawer | Depends on the app, check its policy |
| Photos and voice | Stick them in by hand | Often built in |
| Cost | A notebook and a pen | Free to download, upgrades vary |
| Feels like | A quiet ritual | A quick check-in |
If you find that you write more when you are away from screens, choose paper. If you journal on the bus, in bed or in ten spare minutes, an app will get more use. Plenty of people use both: paper on weekends, phone on busy weekdays. There is no rule against that.
What to look for in a gratitude journal app
Feature lists get long. These are the things that tend to matter after the first week.
Reminders you can set to your own time, with wording that does not nag. A fast way to add an entry, ideally in under a minute, because a slow app gets abandoned. Prompts for the days when your mind is blank. A calm way to look back, such as a calendar or a list of past entries. And privacy: a passcode or Face ID lock, and a clear statement of what happens to your entries.
Then there are the extras, which are nice but optional: photos, voice notes, streaks, affirmations, community features. Streaks motivate some people and stress others. If a missed day makes you feel like you failed, turn streaks off or pick an app that does not count them.
Honest caveat. Any app with a subscription will work hardest to keep you subscribed. Before you pay, use the free version for two weeks and check which feature you actually miss. If you cannot name one, you probably do not need the paid tier.
Four gratitude journal apps compared
These four were chosen because their store pages describe gratitude or reflective journaling clearly, and they take quite different approaches. All four are listed on the iPhone App Store. Android availability varies, so check each maker's page if you need it.
| App | Maker | What stands out | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Minute Journal | Intelligent Change LLC | Guided gratitude format for the start and end of the day | See the store page |
| Gratitude: Self-Care Journal | Hapjoy Technologies | Gratitude journal with affirmations, vision board, photos and voice | See the store page |
| Day One | Bloom Built Inc | General journal with encryption, reminders and daily prompts | See the store page |
| Gratitude Plus | Redwheel Apps | Gratitude habit with community and connection features | See the store page |
| manifestlings | manifestlings | A virtual pet that grows on what you practise, plus small rituals | Coming soon to iPhone |
5 Minute Journal
The Five Minute Journal's store page describes a guided gratitude format built on positive psychology principles, meant to take about five minutes a day. It is a good fit if you like a fixed template: the same few questions each morning and evening, with nothing to decide. That structure is its strength and, for some people, its limit. If you want free writing or a place for long entries, it may feel tight.
Gratitude: Self-Care Journal
This app, from Hapjoy Technologies, bundles several tools under one roof. Its store page lists a gratitude journal, affirmations you can read or listen to, a vision board and daily motivation content. You can add photos, record entries in your voice, follow a streak and use journal prompts. It says entries are private. It suits people who like having journaling, affirmations and a vision board in one place (our list of the best affirmation apps covers that side in more depth). It may feel busy if all you want is three lines a night.
Day One
Day One is a general-purpose digital journal, and gratitude is one use among many. Its store page highlights end-to-end encryption, passcode and Face ID locks, reminders, streaks, a calendar view, daily prompts, templates and export options. If you want a private place that can hold gratitude entries next to everything else in your life, and you value strong privacy, it is a solid option. If you want gratitude-specific guidance, you will bring your own prompts.
Gratitude Plus
Gratitude Plus, from Redwheel Apps, describes itself as a way to build and keep a consistent gratitude habit, combining mental health tools drawn from science with community support and ways to deepen connections with people you care about. That social angle sets it apart. If you find it easier to keep a habit with other people, look at how its sharing works on the store page. If you want a private, solo journal, check the settings carefully first.
Free options and what free means
Every app above can be downloaded for free from the App Store, and some have paid upgrades or subscriptions inside. That is normal for journaling apps. The safest approach is to install one, use it daily for a week, and only then read the subscription screen properly. If an app asks for payment before you can write a single line, that is worth noticing.
A plain notes app on your phone is also free and quite good enough. A note titled "Three good things" with a date at the top is a real gratitude journal. Many people keep going for years with nothing fancier.
Prompts to start with
Whatever you choose, these prompts work on paper or screen. Use one per day and rotate them.
What is one small thing that went right today? Who helped me, even a little? What did I enjoy that I usually rush past? What is something about my body I am glad of today? What is a comfort I would miss if it were gone? Which moment today would I like to keep? For deeper ideas, the gratitude journal prompts page has many more, and the wish jar and gratitude jar guide offers a hands-on version with paper slips.
If you want to link gratitude to a wish, try ending each entry with a line about one thing you did that moved you a little closer. The daily manifestation routine shows how to fit that into a morning-and-night rhythm, and an affirmation journal is a companion practice if you like writing in the present tense.
Keeping it going
Keep the entry small. One line is enough. Attach it to something you already do, such as brushing your teeth. Turn off streaks if they make you anxious. And if a season comes when gratitude feels forced, such as during grief or a hard stretch, it is fine to write something honest instead, like "today was hard, and I got through it." If low mood or worry is lasting, the NHS Every Mind Matters pages are a calm place to start, and a doctor or therapist can help further.
Where manifestlings fits
If you want gratitude to be one part of a wider daily habit, manifestlings is built for that. It is a virtual pet, a dreamling, that grows on what you practise. Around it sit a wish you can look at again, a short game made from your words, small rituals, care on the real clock, and a guided meditation with 4-2-6 breathing. Gratitude can be one of the small things you return to each day, next to a morning affirmation routine.
It is coming soon to the App Store for iPhone, with Android later. You sign in once, and every new account starts with 7 days of Premium free, followed by a free core. It is a different kind of app from a pure journal (see the virtual pet self-care app guide and the roundup of best manifestation apps for how it compares), so if all you want is a place to write, one of the options above may suit you better. There is more about who makes it on the about page.
Questions people ask
What is the best gratitude journal app?
There is no single best one. Five Minute Journal suits people who want a fixed structure, Day One suits people who want a private general journal, and Gratitude: Self-Care Journal bundles affirmations and a vision board. Pick the one you will open daily.
Are there free gratitude journal apps?
Yes. The apps below can be downloaded from the App Store without paying up front, but features and subscriptions vary, so read the store page for what sits behind a paywall before you settle in.
Is a paper gratitude journal better than an app?
Neither wins for everyone. Paper feels calm and has no notifications, while an app is always with you and can remind you. The best format is the one you will actually keep.
Is there a gratitude journal app to share with friends?
Some are built for it. Gratitude Plus describes community features and ways to connect with people you care about, and you can also share a paper or app journal page by hand. Check each store page for how sharing works.
