COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON
Kept vs Day One: Local-first simplicity vs cloud ecosystem
Day One is a mature cloud journal with sync across devices. Kept is a focused iPhone journal where writing is free forever, storage is local-first, and you get a one-page summary on request.
Overview
Day One relies on user accounts and proprietary cloud sync to replicate data across Mac, iPad, and iPhone. Kept removes the cloud layer entirely: your database stays encrypted on your iPhone with zero account creation.
Direct feature comparison
| Dimension | Kept | Day One |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Storage | Encrypted SQLite on iPhone only | Day One Cloud / AWS servers |
| User Account | None | Mandatory email registration |
| Periodic Summaries | Structured one-page summary with counted facts and quotes | On This Day flashbacks |
| Lifetime Option | Yes ($99.99 one-time) | Annual subscription only |
| Free Tier Limits | Unlimited entries, photos, search, and Markdown export | Single photo per entry, limited journals without Premium |
Key differences in practice
Account Model
Zero accounts. There is no email, no password, and no server holding your profile.
Account registration required for sync and subscription state.
Free vs Paid Boundaries
Writing, reading, searching, and exporting are free forever. Only the summary is paid.
Basic writing is free; media limits, audio, and sync require a recurring subscription.
Summary Deliverable
One-page periodic summary featuring counted figures, verbatim quotes, and three reflection questions.
Search filters and 'On This Day' flashbacks without synthesized period pages.
Onboarding Friction
Select five photos from your library to establish a year of context immediately.
Starts with an empty timeline and prompts to write today's entry.
The verdict
If you require real-time synchronization between Mac, Android, and web with multiple journals, Day One is an established tool. If you want a private iPhone journal where writing is free forever, no account is required, and you receive structured one-page summaries, Kept is built for that workflow.
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my Day One journal into Kept?
Kept supports importing entries from plain Markdown and text archives.
What happens if I cancel my Kept summary subscription?
All your entries remain on your iPhone, completely readable, searchable, and exportable forever.
Compare other journals
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