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Productivity · head to head

AnyList vs Day One

AnyList logo

AnyList

Productivity

Grocery list and recipe app with fast list sorting and cross-household sharing, sold as a paid subscription

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Day One logo

Day One

Productivity

Journalling app for iOS, Android and Mac now sold as a subscription after years as a one-time purchase

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Day One has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: AnyList it requires a paid subscription for full functionality, competing directly against Bring and Samsung Food, which are free for a similar core task.; Day One it moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.
  • They diverge on capability: AnyList covers Real-time list sync, Day One covers Multiple journals.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which AnyList and Day One actually diverge.

Attributes where AnyList and Day One differ
AttributeAnyListDay One
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer user per yearFree tier plus subscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebiOS, Android, macOS, Web

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Productivity).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in AnyList

  • Real-time list sync
  • Store-layout sorting
  • Recipe import
  • Meal planning calendar
  • Barcode scanning
  • Multiple list support

Only in Day One

  • Multiple journals
  • Rich entries
  • End-to-end encryption
  • On This Day
  • Cross-platform sync
  • PDF and Day One export

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

AnyList

  • A household that grocery shops together and wants a list that instantly reflects what a partner already addednot Day One
  • Someone who wants their shopping list automatically ordered to match their regular store layoutnot Day One
  • A home cook who saves many recipes online and wants ingredients converted into a list automaticallynot Day One
  • A family planning meals for the week who wants that plan linked directly to a shopping listnot Day One

Day One

  • Someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptopnot AnyList
  • A person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entrynot AnyList
  • Someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journalnot AnyList
  • A user who wants automated daily writing prompts and On This Day nostalgia reviewnot AnyList

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

AnyList

  • It requires a paid subscription for full functionality, competing directly against Bring and Samsung Food, which are free for a similar core task.
  • Store-layout sorting has to be configured per store, which takes upfront setup time before it pays off.
  • Recipe import quality depends on how a source website is structured, similarly to other recipe-import tools.
  • It lacks the appliance integration that Samsung Food offers for households with Samsung smart kitchen hardware.
  • A household unwilling to pay may find a free competitor covers their needs adequately, making the subscription hard to justify.

Day One

  • It moved from a one-time purchase to a subscription after the Automattic acquisition, so long-term cost is materially higher than the original pricing implied.
  • The free tier caps at one journal and 25 photo entries, which is restrictive enough that anyone journalling seriously for more than a few weeks needs to pay.
  • End-to-end encryption is opt-in per journal rather than on by default, so users have to actively choose it and understand which journals are protected.
  • Cancelling Premium after using multiple journals or heavy photo storage can leave content viewable but with sync and some features disabled, so people should export before cancelling.
  • As an Automattic product, its roadmap sits behind a company whose primary focus is WordPress and Tumblr, not journalling specifically.

Pricing, plan by plan

AnyList

On request
  • AnyList Complete$9.99/year
    • Full recipe manager
    • Store-layout item sorting
    • Meal planning calendar

Day One

Free
  • FreeFree
    • One journal
    • Up to 25 photo entries
    • Basic sync
  • Day One Premium$3.99/month
    • Unlimited journals and photos
    • End-to-end encryption
    • On This Day and audio transcription
  • Day One Premium Annual$34.99/year
    • Same as monthly Premium at a lower effective rate

Which should you pick?

Choose AnyList if

  • You need real-time list sync.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want store-layout sorting.
AnyList review

Choose Day One if

  • You need multiple journals.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
  • You also want rich entries.
Day One review

Questions people ask

Is AnyList or Day One better?
Neither clearly leads. AnyList starts at On request and Day One at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, AnyList or Day One?
Day One has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for AnyList and Free for Day One.
Does AnyList or Day One run on more platforms?
AnyList runs on iOS, Android, Web. Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
Can I use Day One for free?
Yes. Day One has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. AnyList starts at On request.
What is AnyList best used for?
AnyList is most often used for a household that grocery shops together and wants a list that instantly reflects what a partner already added, someone who wants their shopping list automatically ordered to match their regular store layout, a home cook who saves many recipes online and wants ingredients converted into a list automatically, a family planning meals for the week who wants that plan linked directly to a shopping list. Of those, a household that grocery shops together and wants a list that instantly reflects what a partner already added and someone who wants their shopping list automatically ordered to match their regular store layout are not what Day One is typically brought in for.
What can AnyList do that Day One cannot?
AnyList covers Real-time list sync, Store-layout sorting, Recipe import, Meal planning calendar. Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

AnyList: Is AnyList free?

There is a free trial, but full ongoing use requires a paid subscription.

Day One: Is Day One still a one-time purchase?

No. Since the 2021 Automattic acquisition it is sold as Day One Premium, a subscription. Older lifetime purchasers were grandfathered but new users pay a subscription.

AnyList: How is it different from Bring?

AnyList charges a subscription for a more capable recipe manager and store-layout sorting; Bring is free with a simpler feature set.

Day One: Is encryption on by default?

No, end-to-end encryption is an option users turn on per journal, not a default for all entries.

AnyList: Does it support recipe import?

Yes, it can import recipes from websites and convert ingredients into shopping list items.

Day One: Can I export my entries if I cancel?

Yes, PDF and native Day One export formats are available regardless of subscription status, though some sync and premium features stop working.

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