{
    "product": {
        "slug": "jrnl",
        "name": "jrnl",
        "kind": "app",
        "website": "https://jrnl.sh/",
        "page": "https://listme.name/software/jrnl",
        "tagline": "Command-line journal with plain text files and optional AES encryption",
        "summary": "jrnl is a command-line journal that stores entries as plain text and can encrypt them with AES. It is released under GPL-3.0 and installs from PyPI and Homebrew. It creates, searches and displays entries from a terminal.",
        "developer": "jrnl contributors",
        "platforms": [
            "cli"
        ],
        "pricing": "open-source",
        "price_note": "Free and open source; installs from PyPI and Homebrew",
        "free_to_use": true,
        "open_source": true,
        "license": "GPL-3.0",
        "source": "https://github.com/jrnl-org/jrnl",
        "strengths": [
            "Plain text files you can read and move",
            "Optional AES encryption",
            "Open source under GPL-3.0"
        ],
        "limits": [
            "Command line only, with no graphical interface",
            "No mobile app or sync described in its README"
        ],
        "checked": "2026-10-10",
        "connected_to_publisher": false,
        "overview": "jrnl takes a single command to add an entry, such as jrnl followed by a date phrase and the text, and it searches and displays past entries. Journals are kept as human-readable plain text, and they can be encrypted with AES. The tool has no graphical interface.\n\nThe project is licensed under GPL-3.0, and its code is public on GitHub. It suits people who already work in a terminal and want the journal in a text file they control. Compared with Day One or Journey, jrnl has no phone apps, and its README describes no sync service.",
        "highlights": [
            "Plain text journals",
            "AES encryption",
            "Terminal entry",
            "Search from the command line",
            "GPL-3.0 license"
        ],
        "json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/products/jrnl.json"
    },
    "rankings": [
        {
            "list": "journaling-apps",
            "name": "Journaling apps",
            "page": "https://listme.name/best/journaling-apps",
            "rank": 5,
            "of": 9,
            "score": 84.5,
            "verdict": "An open-source command-line journal under GPL-3.0 that keeps plain text files and can encrypt them with AES. It has no mobile app or sync, which suits terminal users but rules it out for daily phone use.",
            "best_for": "Plain-text journaling in the terminal"
        }
    ],
    "alternatives": [
        {
            "slug": "day-one",
            "name": "Day One",
            "score": 91,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/day-one"
        },
        {
            "slug": "diarium",
            "name": "Diarium",
            "score": 89,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/diarium"
        },
        {
            "slug": "journey",
            "name": "Journey",
            "score": 87.5,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/journey"
        },
        {
            "slug": "penzu",
            "name": "Penzu",
            "score": 85,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/penzu"
        },
        {
            "slug": "diaro",
            "name": "Diaro",
            "score": 82.5,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/diaro"
        },
        {
            "slug": "daylio",
            "name": "Daylio",
            "score": 80,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/daylio"
        },
        {
            "slug": "five-minute-journal",
            "name": "5 Minute Journal",
            "score": 78.5,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/five-minute-journal"
        },
        {
            "slug": "mindsera",
            "name": "Mindsera",
            "score": 75.5,
            "page": "https://listme.name/software/mindsera"
        }
    ],
    "links": {
        "page": "https://listme.name/software/jrnl",
        "markdown": "https://listme.name/software/jrnl.md",
        "badge": "https://listme.name/badge/jrnl.svg",
        "alternatives_page": "https://listme.name/alternatives/jrnl",
        "alternatives_json": "https://listme.name/api/v1/alternatives/jrnl.json"
    },
    "source": "https://listme.name",
    "license": "Free to read and cite with attribution to listme.name.",
    "docs": "https://listme.name/developers"
}