# jrnl review, pricing and alternatives

Source: https://listme.name/software/jrnl
Website: https://jrnl.sh/

Command-line journal with plain text files and optional AES encryption

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.

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.

The 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.

- Free and open source | Command line | open source (GPL-3.0)
- Price: Free and open source; installs from PyPI and Homebrew
- Checked: 2026-10-10

## 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

## Rankings

- #5 of 9 in [best Journaling apps](https://listme.name/best/journaling-apps), score 84.5: 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.

## Alternatives

- [Day One](https://listme.name/software/day-one), score 91.0
- [Diarium](https://listme.name/software/diarium), score 89.0
- [Journey](https://listme.name/software/journey), score 87.5
- [Penzu](https://listme.name/software/penzu), score 85.0
- [Diaro](https://listme.name/software/diaro), score 82.5
- [Daylio](https://listme.name/software/daylio), score 80.0
- [5 Minute Journal](https://listme.name/software/five-minute-journal), score 78.5
- [Mindsera](https://listme.name/software/mindsera), score 75.5