Saturday, November 14, 2026 4,523 lists 78,992 records on file
List your app or device

  1. Home
  2. Journaling apps
  3. jrnl

jrnl

Plans and prices

Free and open source

Free

Command-line journal application

Every plan, in full

On the record

Editors
jrnl can pass entries to a configured external editor, including Visual Studio Code, Vim, and Notepad++.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Encryption
The application supports AES encryption, and its documentation says encrypted journals use the jrnl v3 format for new encrypted writes.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Export formats
multiplejrnl.sh · read 20 Sep 2026
Import and export
jrnl supports importing entries and exporting them in formats including JSON, Markdown, plain text, XML, and YAML.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Installation requirement
The installation guide recommends pipx with Python 3.11 or later.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Keychain
When encrypting a journal, jrnl asks whether to store its password in the system keychain.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Natural-language entry
Entries can be created with natural-language timestamps such as “yesterday.”jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Offline access
Yesjrnl.sh · read 20 Sep 2026
Open source
The project says it is free and open source, and its GitHub repository identifies the license as GPL-3.0.github.com · read 5 Oct 2026
Password recovery
The documentation states that jrnl passwords cannot be recovered or reset, and losing one makes the data inaccessible.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Plain-text storage
Journals are stored as human-readable plain-text files that can be placed in shared folders to synchronize between devices.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Purpose
jrnl is a command-line journal application for creating, searching, and viewing journal entries.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Support
The project directs users who need help to submit an issue on GitHub.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Sync and integrations
The homepage suggests syncing journal files with tools such as Dropbox; the documentation also describes external editors and data formats for piping or exporting journal data.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Tags and journals
jrnl supports inline tags for searching and filtering, and multiple journals stored as one file or a set of files.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026
Who it is for
The homepage presents jrnl as a tool for keeping separate journals for different parts of life, including work and personal use.jrnl.sh · read 5 Oct 2026

Alternatives to jrnl

Every alternative, ranked