# Alternatives to Cozy

Cozy is a journaling app for macOS, Windows, iPhone and iPad. It stores entries and media in a folder you choose, supports optional folder-based sync, and is sold as a one-time purchase.

Cozy ranks #4 of 7 in Journaling apps, with an Alt Score of 75. It is licensed under Proprietary; personal, non-commercial license and available on macOS 12+, Windows 10+, iPhone and iPad (open beta); Android in development. 8 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/cozy/
Category: Journaling apps

## Where Cozy stands out

- **Markdown support** — 3 of 6 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: People who want a private, file-based journal without an account or subscription.
- **What you get**: Markdown entries, photo/video/audio attachments, trackers, search, On this day, and desktop and iOS apps.
- **How it works**: Cozy reads and writes a journal folder on your device; you can optionally place that folder in iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, or a similar sync service.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary; personal, non-commercial license (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Pricing model**: One-time purchase; optional annual update renewal (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Starts at**: $35 one-time for Mac and Windows (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Platforms**: macOS 12+, Windows 10+, iPhone and iPad (open beta); Android in development (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Status**: ?

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Journey](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/journey.md) | 95 | ? | iOS, macOS, Android, Windows |
| 2 | [Day One](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/day-one.md) | 80 | Proprietary | iOS, macOS, Android, Windows |
| 3 | [Diarium](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/diarium.md) | 80 | Proprietary | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| 4 | [Daylio](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/daylio.md) | 70 | Proprietary | iOS, Android |
| 5 | [Stoic](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/stoic.md) | 70 | Proprietary | ? |
| 6 | [Apple Journal](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/apple-journal.md) | 60 | Proprietary | iOS, macOS |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Journaling apps checklist | Cozy | Journey | Day One | Diarium | Daylio | Stoic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One-time purchase; optional annual update renewal | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starts at | $35 one-time for Mac and Windows | $6.99/month | $49.99/year | Free | Free | ? |
| License | Proprietary; personal, non-commercial license | ? | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Platforms | macOS 12+, Windows 10+, iPhone and iPad (open beta); Android in development | iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, Linux, Web | iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, Web | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android | iOS, Android | ? |
| E2E encryption | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Templates & prompts | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Photos & media | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mood tracking | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Export formats | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sync across devices | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partial |
| On-this-day memories | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Partial |
| One-time purchase option | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Markdown support | Yes | Partial | Yes | ? | No | Yes |

## Sources

Sources for Cozy. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Pricing model**: One-time purchase; optional annual update renewal — <https://cozyjournal.app/terms/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Starts at**: $35 one-time for Mac and Windows — <https://cozyjournal.app/terms/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Platforms**: macOS 12+, Windows 10+, iPhone and iPad (open beta); Android in development — <https://cozyjournal.app/download/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **License**: Proprietary; personal, non-commercial license — <https://cozyjournal.app/terms/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **E2E encryption**: No — <https://cozyjournal.app/private-journaling-app/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Photos & media**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/writing/media/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Mood tracking**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/organizing/trackers/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Export formats**: Partial — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/your-data/files/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Sync across devices**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/your-data/sync/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **On-this-day memories**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/organizing/search/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **One-time purchase option**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/terms/> (verified 2026-09-14)
- **Markdown support**: Yes — <https://cozyjournal.app/docs/writing/formatting/> (verified 2026-09-14)

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/