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Productivity · head to head

Bring! vs Day One

Bring! logo

Bring!

Productivity

Free shared grocery list app with a simple icon-based interface, no subscription required for core use

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Bring! its recipe management is simpler than AnyList or Samsung Food, so it is a weaker choice for someone who wants to build out a recipe collection.; 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: Bring! covers Shared shopping lists, Day One covers Multiple journals.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bring! and Day One actually diverge.

Attributes where Bring! and Day One differ
AttributeBring!Day One
Pricing modelFree, with an optional paid Premium tier for extrasFree tier plus subscription
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebiOS, Android, macOS, Web

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Bring!

  • Shared shopping lists
  • Icon-based item catalogue
  • Recipe to list
  • Multiple lists
  • Offline use
  • Optional Premium tier

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.

Bring!

  • A household that wants a fast, free shared shopping list with no subscription requirednot Day One
  • Someone who prefers picking items from a visual catalogue rather than typing free text every timenot Day One
  • A user who wants basic recipe-to-list functionality without a full recipe managernot Day One
  • A family wanting separate lists for different stores or occasions kept in sync automaticallynot Day One

Day One

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

Where each one falls short

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

Bring!

  • Its recipe management is simpler than AnyList or Samsung Food, so it is a weaker choice for someone who wants to build out a recipe collection.
  • It has no smart appliance integration, unlike Samsung Food, so it offers nothing extra for a household with connected kitchen hardware.
  • Store-layout customisation for sorting items is less granular than AnyList offers.
  • The icon-based catalogue, while fast, can be limiting for unusual or specific items not well represented in the illustrated catalogue.
  • The free tier carries ads, which the optional Premium subscription removes.

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

Bring!

Free
  • Bring!Free
    • Shared shopping lists
    • Icon-based item catalogue
    • Recipe to list
  • Bring! Premium$1.99/month
    • Ad removal
    • Extra themes and convenience features

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 Bring! if

  • You need shared shopping lists.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want icon-based item catalogue.
Bring! 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 Bring! or Day One better?
Neither clearly leads. Bring! starts at Free and Day One at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bring! or Day One?
Bring! starts at Free and Day One at Free.
Does Bring! or Day One run on more platforms?
Bring! runs on iOS, Android, Web. Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
Can I use Bring! for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bring! best used for?
Bring! is most often used for a household that wants a fast, free shared shopping list with no subscription required, someone who prefers picking items from a visual catalogue rather than typing free text every time, a user who wants basic recipe-to-list functionality without a full recipe manager, a family wanting separate lists for different stores or occasions kept in sync automatically. Of those, a household that wants a fast, free shared shopping list with no subscription required and someone who prefers picking items from a visual catalogue rather than typing free text every time are not what Day One is typically brought in for.
What can Bring! do that Day One cannot?
Bring! covers Shared shopping lists, Icon-based item catalogue, Recipe to list, Multiple lists. Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bring!: Is Bring! free?

Yes, the core shared shopping list function is free; Premium is optional and adds cosmetic and convenience extras.

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.

Bring!: Does it support recipes?

It has a simpler recipe-to-list feature, less developed than AnyList or Samsung Food.

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.

Bring!: Does it work offline?

Yes, lists remain usable offline and sync once a connection is restored.

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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