Daylio is the best-known micro-diary: pick a mood and a few activities in two taps, and it turns your days into charts and a Year in Pixels. Dayleaf is a journal for writing, photos and plans on a calendar. Many people would be happy with either; few need both.
At a glance
| Dayleaf | Daylio | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier with unlimited entries; Pro $19.99 once for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, or $9.99 a year after a 7-day trial | Free with ads on Android; Premium $35.99 a year or $4.99 a month |
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Android | iPhone, iPad, Android (no Mac, no Apple Watch, no web) |
| Layout | Calendar first: entries, photos, stickers and goals live on month, week and day pages | Mood and activity log with a mood calendar, Year in Pixels and charts |
| Day One import | Free: entries, photos, videos and audio | No |
Where Daylio is genuinely better
- Logging in two taps. A mood and a few activities, no typing needed.
- Stats and correlations that show which activities go with your best days, plus Year in Pixels.
- A mood calendar that colours every day.
- Huge Android community and years of mental-health app listings.
Where Dayleaf is genuinely better
- Real writing. Rich text, photos and videos in your entries, voice notes that become text.
- Every device in sync. iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, plus Android; Daylio says it is not designed for multiple devices at once.
- One purchase, no ads. $19.99 once against $35.99 a year.
- Bring your Day One journal for free, and plan your days with goals on the same pages.
Choose Daylio if…
you want to track mood and habits in seconds and see charts, without writing.
Choose Dayleaf if…
you want to write, keep photos and plan your days on a calendar, on more than one device.
FAQ
Does Dayleaf track mood like Daylio?
Not as a mood scale today. You can mark days with stickers; a mood on the calendar is planned.
Can Daylio sync between iPhone and Mac?
Daylio has no Mac app, and its FAQ says it is not designed to be used on multiple devices at the same time.
Which is cheaper?
Dayleaf Pro is $19.99 once. Daylio Premium is $35.99 a year.
Prices and features change; we last checked the details above on October 26, 2026. Comparing more apps? See the best Day One alternatives in 2026, Dayleaf vs Day One, Dayleaf vs Diarium · Dayleaf vs Apple Journal · Dayleaf vs Journey · Dayleaf vs Diarly.
