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Productivity · head to head

Day One vs Google Slides

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
Google Slides logo

Google Slides

Productivity

Google's browser presentation editor, free with a Google account and included in every Workspace edition

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Google Slides fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.
  • They diverge on capability: Day One covers Multiple journals, Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Day One and Google Slides actually diverge.

Attributes where Day One and Google Slides differ
AttributeDay OneGoogle Slides
Pricing modelFree tier plus subscriptionfreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOS, WebWeb

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 Day One

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

Only in Google Slides

  • Simultaneous editing
  • Version history
  • Comments and suggestions
  • PowerPoint import and export
  • Linked charts from Sheets
  • Presenter view
  • Offline editing
  • Apps Script and add-ons

What people use each for

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

Day One

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

Google Slides

  • A deck several people must build at once before a deadline, where merging emailed versions would be the actual failure mode.not Day One
  • Recurring reports where the charts should update from a spreadsheet rather than being pasted in again each time.not Day One
  • Teaching and classroom use, where the tool is free and runs on inexpensive hardware.not Day One
  • Sharing a deck with people outside the organisation by link rather than as an attachment that immediately goes stale.not Day One

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Google Slides

  • Fonts are limited to what Google hosts, so a brand's licensed typeface cannot be installed, and decks built to a corporate template either substitute a lookalike or lose the visual identity the template exists to enforce.
  • PowerPoint conversion is lossy in both directions, with animations, transitions, embedded video, diagrams and precise positioning all liable to shift, so a deck that must end up in a client's PowerPoint needs checking slide by slide and is often rebuilt.
  • Offline access has to be arranged before the connection is lost, so a deck not marked for offline use in advance is simply unavailable, which is a recurring failure on the way to present at a customer site.
  • Animation, master slide control, image editing and typographic precision sit behind PowerPoint and Keynote, so design-led work meets a ceiling that no add-on removes and the designers work elsewhere.
  • The governance features an organisation eventually needs, including retention and legal hold, data loss prevention and data residency controls, belong to higher Workspace editions, so a tool adopted because it was free carries an upgrade cost that surfaces only when compliance asks.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Google Slides

Free
  • Starter$6.8/month
    • Google Slides access
    • 30 GB storage
    • Custom business email
  • Standard$13.6/month
    • Google Slides with enhanced features
    • 2 TB storage
    • Advanced email and Gemini capabilities
  • Plus$21.1/month
    • Google Slides with advanced features
    • 5 TB storage
    • Advanced security features

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Google Slides if

  • You need simultaneous editing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want version history.
Google Slides review

Questions people ask

Is Day One or Google Slides better?
Neither clearly leads. Day One starts at Free and Google Slides at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Day One or Google Slides?
Day One starts at Free and Google Slides at Free.
Does Day One or Google Slides run on more platforms?
Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web. Google Slides runs on Web.
Can I use Day One for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Day One best used for?
Day One is most often used for someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptop, a person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entry, someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journal, a user who wants automated daily writing prompts and on this day nostalgia review. Of those, someone wanting a private daily journal with photos that syncs between phone and laptop and a person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entry are not what Google Slides is typically brought in for.
What can Day One do that Google Slides cannot?
Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day. Google Slides covers Simultaneous editing, Version history, Comments and suggestions, PowerPoint import and export.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Google Slides: Is Google Slides free?

Yes, with a personal Google account and no time limit or feature gate on the editor. What costs money is Workspace, which adds storage, administration and the governance controls.

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.

Google Slides: Can I open and edit PowerPoint files?

Yes, and .pptx files can be edited directly in Drive. Complex decks lose animations, effects and exact positioning in the conversion, so check anything that came from a designer.

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.

Google Slides: Does it work offline?

Yes in Chrome, but only if the file was made available offline beforehand. It cannot be arranged after you have lost the connection, which is when people usually try.

Google Slides: Is it good enough for a client-facing deck?

For a standard business deck, yes. For a design-led deck using brand typefaces and animation it will hold you back, and the export to PowerPoint will not be clean.

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