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Productivity · head to head

Capacities vs Day One

Capacities logo

Capacities

Productivity

A studio for your mind with object-based notes

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: Capacities pro plan pricing not prominently displayed on website; 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: Capacities covers Object-based notes, Day One covers Multiple journals.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Capacities and Day One differ
AttributeCapacitiesDay One
Pricing modelUnknownFree tier plus subscription
PlatformsWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, macOS, Web
Founded2020Unknown

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 Capacities

  • Object-based notes
  • Daily notes
  • Properties and relations
  • Graph view
  • AI assistant
  • Readwise
  • Web clipper
  • GDPR

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.

Capacities

  • Productivitynot Day One
  • Collaborationnot Day One
  • Task managementnot Day One
  • Organizationnot Day One

Day One

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

Where each one falls short

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

Capacities

  • Pro plan pricing not prominently displayed on website
  • Smaller community and ecosystem compared to Notion or Obsidian
  • Limited third-party integration marketplace

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

Capacities

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited spaces and objects
    • Device synchronization
    • Unlimited custom object types
  • Pro$10/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited notes
    • Advanced graph views
  • Believer$149.88/year
    • Everything in Pro
    • Beta access to new 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 Capacities if

  • You need object-based notes.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want daily notes.
Capacities 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 Capacities or Day One better?
Neither clearly leads. Capacities 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, Capacities or Day One?
Capacities starts at Free and Day One at Free.
Does Capacities or Day One run on more platforms?
Capacities runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android. Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web.
Can I use Capacities for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Capacities best used for?
Capacities is most often used for productivity, collaboration, task management, organization. Of those, productivity and collaboration are not what Day One is typically brought in for.
What can Capacities do that Day One cannot?
Capacities covers Object-based notes, Daily notes, Properties and relations, Graph view. Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Capacities: What platforms does Capacities support?

Capacities is available on Web, Desktop (macOS, Windows, Linux), and Mobile (iOS, Android), allowing seamless work across devices.

Source
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.

Capacities: Does Capacities have a free plan?

Yes, Capacities offers a free plan with unlimited spaces, objects, and blocks, device synchronization, unlimited custom object types, and 5GB media uploads total.

Source
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.

Capacities: What AI features does Capacities include?

Capacities includes an AI Assistant available on Pro and higher plans for brainstorming, summarization, and contextual Q&A about your notes.

Source
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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