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Productivity · head to head

Day One vs Granola

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
Granola logo

Granola

Productivity

AI notepad that transcribes meetings and merges transcripts with user notes

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.; Granola free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Day One and Granola differ
AttributeDay OneGranola
Pricing modelFree tier plus subscriptionfreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOS, WebmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams

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 Granola

Nothing recorded that Day One does not also cover.

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 Granola
  • A person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entrynot Granola
  • Someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journalnot Granola
  • A user who wants automated daily writing prompts and On This Day nostalgia reviewnot Granola

Granola

  • Automatic meeting documentation without dedicated note-takernot Day One
  • Action item extraction and task assignmentnot Day One
  • Meeting context retrieval via AI agent queriesnot Day One
  • Multi-language meeting transcriptionnot Day One
  • Compliance-friendly note generation for regulated industriesnot 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.

Granola

  • Free plan limits note access to 30 days; older notes become inaccessible unless upgraded
  • Premium pricing not published on main website; requires account signup or sales contact
  • Requires local computer audio; not suitable for purely phone-based calls via traditional phone lines
  • Note retention limits may affect long-term project documentation

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

Granola

Free
  • BasicFree
    • AI meeting notes with limited history
    • AI chat and shared folders
    • Customized templates
  • Business$14/month
    • Unlimited meeting notes and history
    • Advanced AI models
    • Integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot
  • Enterprise$35/month
    • Everything in Business plus
    • Enterprise security features
    • Single sign-on (SSO)

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 Granola if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
Granola review

Questions people ask

Is Day One or Granola better?
Neither clearly leads. Day One starts at Free and Granola at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Day One or Granola?
Day One starts at Free and Granola at Free.
Does Day One or Granola run on more platforms?
Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web. Granola runs on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams.
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 Granola is typically brought in for.
What can Day One do that Granola cannot?
Day One covers Multiple journals, Rich entries, End-to-end encryption, On This Day.

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.

Granola: What is Granola's pricing model?

Granola offers a freemium model with a free Basic tier, Business tier at 14 USD per user per month, and Enterprise tier at 35 USD per user per month.

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.

Granola: What features are included in the free tier?

The free Basic tier includes AI meeting notes with limited history, AI chat, shared folders, customized templates, and multi-language support.

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.

Granola: What integrations does Granola support?

Granola Business tier and above support integrations with Notion, Slack, HubSpot, and includes API access with MCP integration capabilities.

Source
Granola: What enterprise security features are included?

Enterprise tier includes single sign-on (SSO), priority support, admin controls, org-wide data deletion policies, and enterprise-grade security features.

Source
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