Productivity · head to head
Day One vs Anvil
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
- -
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.; Anvil free and AI Pack plans restrict interactive signing to UI-only access
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Day One and Anvil actually diverge.
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 Anvil
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 Anvil
- A person keeping a travel journal that auto-attaches location and weather to each entrynot Anvil
- Someone who wants encrypted entries kept separate from an unencrypted general journalnot Anvil
- A user who wants automated daily writing prompts and On This Day nostalgia reviewnot Anvil
Anvil
- PDF automation for document workflowsnot Day One
- E-signature solutions for legal documentsnot Day One
- Data collection through mobile webformsnot Day One
- Insurance and healthcare document processingnot Day One
- Real estate and financial document automationnot 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.
Anvil
- Free and AI Pack plans restrict interactive signing to UI-only access
- HIPAA compliance and embedded builders require Enterprise tier
- No native Salesforce or HubSpot integrations, Zapier only
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
Anvil
Free- FreeFree
- 2 user seats
- Unlimited templates
- Unlimited submissions and e-sign packets
- AI Pack$99/month
- 5 user seats
- API access to Document AI
- 50-page Document AI limit
- Product Pack$425/month
- 5 user seats
- All AI Pack features
- White-labeling
- Enterprise$null/custom
- Unlimited user seats
- White-label builders
- Advanced security (HIPAA/BAA/DPA, 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.
Questions people ask
- Is Day One or Anvil better?
- Neither clearly leads. Day One starts at Free and Anvil at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Day One or Anvil?
- Day One starts at Free and Anvil at Free.
- Does Day One or Anvil run on more platforms?
- Day One runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Web. Anvil 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 Anvil is typically brought in for.
- What can Day One do that Anvil 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.
Anvil: Does Anvil offer a free plan?
Yes, Anvil's free plan includes unlimited Etch e-signature packets (dashboard only), dashboard-only PDF filling with Document AI, 2,500 free credits for PDF generation, and 500 free PDF-filling API calls.
SourceDay 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.
Anvil: What is the cheapest paid plan?
The AI Pack tier costs $99/month ($79/month annually) and includes 5 user seats, API access to Document AI features, and 50-page document tagging limit.
SourceDay 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.
Anvil: What additional fees does Anvil charge?
Beyond subscription plans, Anvil charges usage-based fees: $0.10 per PDF fill/generation (2,500 included), $1.00 per workflow submission (25 included), and $1.50 per e-sign packet (25 included). Volume discounts up to 55% off are available.
SourceRelated pages
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