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# Best Gratitude Journal Apps in 2026: 7 Compared
- URL: https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-gratitude-journal-apps/
- Published: 2026-10-22T22:11:33.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-22T22:11:33.000Z
- Description: We compared seven gratitude journal apps on prompts, sharing, privacy, price and ratings, using US App Store listings and developer pages checked on October 23, 2026, with a gratitude entry template and the research on gratitude journaling.
- Author: Daniel W. Chen
- Tags: App Comparison, Gratitude, Personal Growth

*Reviewed October 23, 2026\. Ratings, prices and update dates come from US App Store listings and each developer’s own site on that date. We compared these apps using listings, developer pages and published studies. We did not run each one for weeks.*

📌 TL;DR: Best Gratitude Journal Apps (2026)

- **Best all-round:** Gratitude: Self-Care Journal. 4.88 stars on 44,974 US App Store ratings, with a journal, voice entries, prompts, affirmations and vision boards. Free to download.
- **Best for a structured morning and evening routine:** 5 Minute Journal. It follows the guided gratitude format of the paper journal, on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Android.
- **Best for sharing gratitude:** Gratitude Plus. Private circles for a partner, family or friends, plus a public feed. Premium is $10.99 a month or $39.99 a year.
- **Best for photos and video:** Orca. Photo and video entries, group sharing, and a web version. Plus is $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year.
- **Best for no account:** Good Things and Grateful. Both state that entries stay on your device. Good Things limits free users to 3 entries a day, and Grateful limits free users to 15 entries in total.
- **Our app, for a written reply to what you are grateful for:** Life Note. A general AI journal, not a gratitude-specific app. A mentor inspired by a thinker such as Marcus Aurelius or Seneca replies to your entry.

The best gratitude journal apps give you a prompt, take about five minutes a day, and make it easy to look back at what you wrote.

We compared seven apps that people find when they search for a gratitude journal app or a gratitude app, and we checked each claim below against a store listing, a developer page or a published study. If a company does not say something on its own pages, we left it out and wrote “not stated.” If you want ready-made prompts for any of these apps, use our [150 gratitude journal prompts](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-journal-prompts/) or the free [gratitude prompt generator](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-prompt-generator/).

## What is a gratitude journal app?

A gratitude journal app is a phone tool for writing down what you are thankful for each day, usually with daily prompts, reminders, a streak counter and a way to look back at old entries.

The core habit is simple: write a few specific things you appreciate, ideally at the same time each day. An app adds reminders, a prompt when you are stuck, and a timeline of past entries. Many also add photos, mood tracking, affirmations or a shared space for family and friends. Paper works as well, so the question is whether an app makes you more likely to write. If you prefer a printed format, our guide to the [Five Minute Journal](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/5-minute-journaling/) includes a free template.

For broader tools that cover gratitude plus other kinds of writing, see our lists of the [best journaling apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-journaling-apps/) and [best free journaling apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-free-journaling-apps/).

## How we evaluated these gratitude apps

We checked each app on five criteria using public sources dated October 23, 2026: how you capture gratitude, prompts and reminders, sharing and community, privacy, and price.

- **Capture:** Text, photo, video or voice entries, and whether you can search and export them.
- **Prompts and habit:** Daily prompts, reminders, streaks and look-back features.
- **Sharing:** Whether you can share entries with a partner, family or a wider community, or keep everything private.
- **Privacy:** Where the developer says entries are stored, whether an account is required, and the App Store privacy label, which developers fill in themselves and Apple does not verify.
- **Price and ratings:** US App Store price and in-app purchases, plus the rating and rating count from Apple’s lookup service.

**What we did:** we read the US App Store listings, each developer site we could load, and published studies. **What we did not do:** we did not install each app and use it for weeks, so we do not rank on hands-on feel. We placed apps by rating base, feature fit and the clarity of what each developer states. Life Note is our own product, so we label it as ours, put it in the first table row and describe its limits.

## Gratitude journal apps compared: features, price and ratings

This table compares seven gratitude apps and Life Note on prompts, sharing, platforms, price and US App Store rating, as stated by each developer on October 23, 2026.

| App                               | Best for                     | Gratitude features                         | Platforms                             | Price (US)                                | US App Store rating (count) |
| --------------------------------- | ---------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------- | --------------------------- |
| **Life Note** (our app)           | Written reply from a mentor  | No gratitude-specific prompts or sharing   | iOS, Android, web                     | Free tier; $10.99/month or $99.99/year    | 4.92 (96)                   |
| **Gratitude: Self-Care Journal**  | All-round                    | Prompts, voice, affirmations, vision board | iOS, Android                          | Free; optional Pro, listed from $4.99     | 4.88 (44,974)               |
| **Gratitude Plus**                | Sharing with people you know | Private circles, public feed, mood tracker | iOS, Android                          | Free; $10.99/month or $39.99/year         | 4.86 (20,480)               |
| **5 Minute Journal**              | Morning and evening routine  | Guided flow, weekly challenges, streaks    | iOS, Android; Apple Watch             | Free; optional Premium, listed from $4.99 | 4.76 (17,608)               |
| **365 Gratitude Journal & Diary** | Prompts and community        | Prompts, AI coach, mood, community         | iOS, Android                          | Free; GratPlus, listed from $4.99         | 4.76 (4,542)                |
| **Orca - Gratitude Journal**      | Photos, video and groups     | Photos, video, Pods, Gratitude Jar         | iOS, Android, web                     | Free; Plus $3.99/month or $39.99/year     | 4.84 (4,109)                |
| **Grateful: A Gratitude Journal** | Offline, no login            | Daily prompts, custom prompts, tags        | iPhone and iPad listing               | 15 free entries; one-time upgrade $4.99   | 4.63 (3,044)                |
| **Good Things**                   | Simple three-a-day entries   | Three entries a day, reminders, PDF export | iPhone listing; Android badge on site | Free; Premium, listed from $0.99          | 4.89 (1,667)                |

Ratings are the US App Store average and count from Apple’s lookup service on October 23, 2026\. Prices are US App Store or developer-site figures and can change by plan and promotion. In-app purchase lists on the App Store show many entries, including older price points, so we quote the lowest listed price only as a starting figure. “Not stated” means the developer pages we read do not mention it, which is different from the app lacking it.

### Also worth knowing: Life Note (our app), for a written reply to your gratitude entry

Life Note is a general AI journal with no gratitude-specific tools. It suits people who want a reply from a mentor inspired by a thinker after they write what they are grateful for.

**Developer:** Life Note | **Platforms:** iOS, Android, web | **Price:** free to start, then $10.99/month or $99.99/year (US App Store) | **US App Store:** 4.92 on 96 ratings, updated Oct 20, 2026

You write an entry, such as three things from your day, and a mentor inspired by a thinker replies. The mentors are inspired by the writings of 1,000+ thinkers, including Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, and replies are grounded in their writings. The reply remembers your past entries and can refer back to them, so a gratitude entry from last month can come up when you write a similar one today. **Roots** shows the passage from the thinker’s own writing that a reply drew on, so you can read the source. Our [Rosebud review](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/rosebud-review/) and [Rosebud vs Life Note](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/rosebud-vs-life-note/) compare it with the other AI journals.

On privacy, entries are encrypted at rest with a per-account key and are never used to train AI models. Life Note is **not end-to-end encrypted**. Free accounts get mentor replies to 10 entries in the first week, then 3 a week, and Premium removes the limit. See the [App Store listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/life-note-ai-journal-diary/id6740916037).

- **Key features:** mentor replies inspired by Marcus Aurelius, Seneca and others, memory of past entries, Roots citations, iOS, Android and web.
- **Limits:** no daily gratitude prompts, streak counter or sharing circles built for gratitude, a free tier capped at 3 entries with replies per week after week one, and no clinical evidence. Pair it with a dedicated gratitude app if you want those tools.

## The best gratitude journal apps in 2026

### 1\. Gratitude: Self-Care Journal (best all-round gratitude app)

Best for people who want one free app that combines a gratitude journal with affirmations, vision boards and daily reminders.

**Developer:** Hapjoy Technologies Private Limited | **Platforms:** iOS, Android | **Price:** free to download; the App Store lists optional Pro plans from $4.99 (monthly) up to $39.99 | **US App Store:** 4.88 on 44,974 ratings, updated Oct 19, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gratitude-self-care-journal/id1372575227) describes a gratitude journal with reminders and prompts, photos on entries, voice recording, a gratitude streak and hundreds of journal prompts. It adds hundreds of affirmations you can read or listen to, vision boards, and a “Daily Zen” section of quotes and articles. The [developer site](https://gratefulness.me/) links to both the App Store and Google Play.

It has the largest rating base in this review, more than twice that of the next app. The listing says the app is “completely private” and that entries are for your eyes only, without describing encryption or where data is stored. The App Store label lists no data used to track you and no data linked to you. We found no statement on AI training or an AI feature.

- **Key features:** journal with prompts, voice and photo entries, streak, affirmations, vision boards, Mindful Minutes in Apple Health.
- **Limits:** many tools beyond gratitude, so it can feel crowded if you want a plain journal; the Pro price list on the App Store has several entries and no stated plan names we could match to features; storage and encryption not stated.

### 2\. Gratitude Plus (best for sharing gratitude with people you know)

Best for couples, families and friends who want to write gratitude together and read each other’s entries.

**Developer:** Redwheel Apps | **Platforms:** iOS, Android | **Price:** free to use; the listing states $10.99 a month or $39.99 a year for the subscription | **US App Store:** 4.86 on 20,480 ratings, updated Oct 20, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/gratitude-plus-journal/id1447851477) describes a private personal journal, Gratitude Circles you can create or join with a partner, family or friends, a public feed of gratitudes from people around the world, prompts, affirmations, daily mood tracking and memories of past entries. The [developer site](https://gratitudeplusapp.com) adds streaks, a daily reminder, and insights that surface your most frequent words, entries and moods.

The listing connects mindful minutes to Apple Health. The site says nothing on pricing or privacy beyond the headline “Private Shared Gratitude Journal,” and the App Store privacy label lists Identifiers as data used to track you. Sharing is the point of this app, so check each circle’s visibility before you write.

- **Key features:** private journal, circles, public feed, prompts, mood tracker, insights, streaks, Apple Health minutes.
- **Limits:** the label lists tracking, the public feed means some entries are visible to strangers, and the site does not explain what “private” covers.

### 3\. 5 Minute Journal (best for a structured morning and evening routine)

Best for people who want the fixed gratitude, goals and reflection format of the paper Five Minute Journal in an app.

**Developer:** Intelligent Change LLC | **Platforms:** iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch; the developer site also lists Android | **Price:** free to download; the App Store lists Premium plans from $4.99 a month, with annual options between $19.99 and $39.99 | **US App Store:** 4.76 on 17,608 ratings, updated Oct 19, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/5-minute-journal-daily-diary/id1062945251) describes a guided flow for morning and evening entries, daily quotes, weekly challenges, a timeline and calendar view, streaks, reminders, dark mode and a passcode with Face ID or Touch ID. You can export entries to PDF, HTML or Dropbox. Premium adds photos and video, custom questions, a mood tracker, notes, “On this Day” reminders and a widget. The [developer page](https://www.intelligentchange.com/pages/five-minute-journal-app) says the app is available on iOS and Android and is free to download. For the paper version and a free template, read our [Five Minute Journal guide](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/5-minute-journaling/).

The listing says the format uses “proven principles of positive psychology,” and it quotes general claims about gratitude without citing studies. The developer page does not describe data practices. The App Store label lists Identifiers as data used to track you, and contact info and photos or videos as linked to you.

- **Key features:** guided morning and evening prompts, weekly challenges, streaks, passcode and biometric lock, PDF export, Apple Watch app.
- **Limits:** photos, video, custom questions and mood tracking sit behind Premium, the label lists tracking, and the science claims on the listing come without citations.

### 4\. 365 Gratitude Journal & Diary (best for prompts and a gratitude community)

Best for people who want guided prompts, mood tracking and a large community of other gratitude writers.

**Developer:** UofHappy, LLC | **Platforms:** iOS, Android | **Price:** free to download; premium via subscription, with GratPlus plans listed from $4.99 a month and $17.99 a year | **US App Store:** 4.76 on 4,542 ratings, updated Oct 16, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/365-gratitude-journal-diary/id1072397377) describes daily prompts, mood tracking, a digital gratitude jar, positive affirmations and a community for sharing grateful moments. It also advertises an AI coach that it says is powered by ChatGPT and offers CBT exercises. The [developer site](https://365gratitudejournal.com/) lists daily prompts, a supportive community and streaks and rewards, offers a free trial, and claims a community of 2 million users from 150+ countries.

The site does not mention the AI coach, and neither the listing nor the site states how journal text is handled by the AI vendor. We found no statement on AI training. The App Store label lists Usage Data as used to track you. If you plan to write about anxiety, our list of the [best CBT journaling apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-cbt-journaling-apps/) covers tools built for that.

- **Key features:** daily prompts, mood tracking, gratitude jar, affirmations, community, AI coach per the listing.
- **Limits:** AI coach appears only on the listing, AI data handling not stated, the label lists tracking, and community posts are visible to other users.

### 5\. Orca - Gratitude Journal (best for photos, video and sharing in small groups)

Best for people who want to capture good moments with photos and short videos and share some of them with family.

**Developer:** HappyFeed Inc. (formerly Happyfeed) | **Platforms:** iOS, Android, web | **Price:** free with no ads; Orca Plus is $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year | **US App Store:** 4.84 on 4,109 ratings, updated Aug 25, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/orca-gratitude-journal/id707073943) says Orca focuses on photos, short videos and sharing. You can add multiple photos, video and location, use a Gratitude Jar to see random past posts, tag days with an emoji, and share selected moments in private Pods with a partner, friends or family. Unlimited free posting days are included, and Plus adds search, a calendar with a map, longer video, more photos per post, unlimited editing and PDF or CSV export. The [developer site](https://www.okorca.com) says everything is private by default and that the company will “NEVER share or sell data.”

An account is required. The listing says cloud syncing uses HTTPS and entries have an optional passcode lock with Face ID. It does not describe encryption at rest. The App Store label lists data linked to you, including coarse location, email and photos or videos, and no tracking. The site did not state a price for Plus, so the figures above come from the listing text.

- **Key features:** photo and video entries, Pods, Gratitude Jar, widgets, daily prompts, web version, passcode lock.
- **Limits:** an account is required, search, calendar and export need Plus, the label lists coarse location, and encryption at rest is not stated.

### 6\. Grateful: A Gratitude Journal (best for an offline journal with no login)

Best for people who want daily prompts and a private journal with no sign-up.

**Developer:** Kodeon, Inc. | **Platforms:** iPhone and iPad listing; Android not stated on the pages we read | **Price:** free for 15 entries; a one-time premium upgrade is listed at $4.99, with Growth Bundle subscriptions from $3.99 a month | **US App Store:** 4.63 on 3,044 ratings, updated Jun 5, 2026

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/grateful-a-gratitude-journal/id1197512462) says each session starts with a question, such as “What made you smile today?”, that you can answer, swap, or replace with your own prompt. You can add a photo, browse entries by time, prompt or tag, and edit past entries. It states: “No sign ups. No logins. No Facebook integration. All you data resides only on your device.”

The free version allows 15 entries. Unlimited entries, Dropbox and iCloud backup, a Face ID passcode, custom prompts and PDF or CSV export come with the premium upgrade or a Growth Bundle subscription. Because data stays on the device and backup is a paid feature, a lost phone can mean lost entries unless you buy backup. The App Store label lists purchases, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics as linked to you.

- **Key features:** daily prompts you can change, tags, timeline by prompt, no login, local storage, optional backup and export.
- **Limits:** only 15 free entries, backup and passcode are paid, no sharing, and the Android status is not stated.

### 7\. Good Things (best for a simple three-a-day entry)

Best for people who want the Three Good Things exercise in a minimal app that keeps entries on the phone.

**Developer:** OATMEAL APPS PTE. LTD. | **Platforms:** iPhone listing; the developer page shows App Store and Google Play badges | **Price:** free; the App Store lists subscriptions from $0.99 a month and $11.99 a year | **US App Store:** 4.89 on 1,667 ratings, updated Aug 31, 2026

The [developer page](https://oatmealapps.com/three-good-things) lists the free tier as up to 3 good things every day, customizable reminders, 3 free PDF exports and progress tracking. Premium raises the daily limit to 5 and adds unlimited PDF exports, a Face ID or Touch ID lock and five background themes. The page says “No ads. Entries stay on your device,” and “There is no account, and the app does not sync journals across devices.”

The [listing](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/good-things-gratitude-journal/id1212999482) says it is inspired by the Three Good Things exercise studied in positive psychology, and has a night mode for evening writing. We cover that research in the [gratitude journal prompts](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-journal-prompts/) guide and below. The App Store label lists no tracking and no data linked to you. No AI features are mentioned. Because entries do not sync, switching phones means exporting a PDF first.

- **Key features:** three entries a day, reminders, progress tracking, PDF export, night mode, entries stored on the device.
- **Limits:** no sync across devices, the free tier caps you at three entries a day, no photos or sharing stated, and the iPhone listing is iOS-only.

### Apps we left out and why

- **Day One, Journal by Apple, Daylio and Stoic:** general journals or mood trackers. They appear in gratitude searches but are not gratitude-specific, so they sit in our [best journaling apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-journaling-apps/) guide instead.
- **GraceNotes - Gratitude Journal:** 4.86 on 9,921 US ratings, with Light Cards that pair your words with Bible verses. We left it out because its listing centers on Bible verses and we did not verify its developer page for features and pricing.
- **Three Good Things Journal (Asher Dale) and Gratitude Jar:** 4.79 on 1,931 and 4.88 on 402 US ratings. We did not verify developer pages for either.
- **HabitBox:** it appears in AI answers for this topic, but the developer site describes it as a habit tracker and does not mention gratitude journaling.
- **Newer apps with few or no ratings:** several 2026 gratitude apps show zero to five US ratings, too few to compare.

## What a gratitude journal entry looks like: template and example

A useful gratitude entry has five parts: date, three specific things, why each happened, one person to thank, and how you feel afterward.

Use this template in any app above or on paper. Aim for specific details over general ones, such as “my neighbor carried my groceries” rather than “kind people.” The worked example is an invented illustration, not a real case. For more prompt ideas, see our [gratitude list of 210 things](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-list/) and [nightly gratitude journaling ideas](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/nightly-gratitude-prompts-help-you-sleep-better/).

| Step                          | What to write                                 | Worked example                                                          |
| ----------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1\. Date**                  | Date and the time of day you are writing      | Oct 22, evening.                                                        |
| **2\. Three specific things** | Name three things from today in one line each | The first coffee was hot. My sister called back. The train was on time. |
| **3\. Why it happened**       | One line on what caused each one              | She called because I left a voicemail, so I made it easy for her.       |
| **4\. One person to thank**   | Name a person and what you would say          | My neighbor, for holding the door when my arms were full.               |
| **5\. How you feel now**      | One word or sentence after writing            | Calmer. A bit tired.                                                    |

Write at a regular time, for example before bed or after breakfast. If you prefer the morning, our [morning journal prompts](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/morning-journal-prompts/) and [morning pages](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/morning-pages/) guide show two longer formats. For a wider list of starting points, see [journaling ideas](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/journaling-ideas/).

## Does gratitude journaling work? What the research says

Two studies are cited most often for gratitude journaling. Both show gains on some measures, neither tests an app, and the reported effects are modest and uneven.

- **Counting blessings versus burdens:** in three studies, participants were randomly assigned to groups that listed gratitudes, hassles, or neutral events or a comparison, or in a third study, people with neuromuscular disease were assigned to a gratitude condition or a control. The authors report that the gratitude groups showed heightened well-being “across several, though not all, of the outcome measures,” that the effect on positive affect “appeared to be the most robust finding,” and that a conscious focus on blessings “may have emotional and interpersonal benefits” ([Emmons & McCullough, 2003](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12585811/)).
- **Happiness interventions:** in a six-group, random-assignment, placebo-controlled internet study, the authors tested five happiness exercises and one control exercise. They report that three of the interventions “lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms” ([Seligman et al., 2005](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16045394/)). The abstract does not say which three, so check the full paper before citing a specific exercise.

What this means for you: writing gratitude lists has experimental support for improving mood on some measures, and the strongest finding in the first study is positive affect. Neither study evaluates a gratitude app, and we found no study that compares one app against another. An app helps if it gets you to write regularly. It does not add benefits that the research has tested.

## How to choose a gratitude journal app

Start from how you want to practice: alone, with people, or with a reply, then check price and privacy before you commit.

### Match the app to the goal

- **Solo daily habit:** Gratitude: Self-Care Journal for the widest toolset, 5 Minute Journal for a fixed routine, Good Things for the lightest version.
- **Gratitude with other people:** Gratitude Plus for circles, Orca for photos and small groups, 365 Gratitude for a large community.
- **No account, data on the phone:** Grateful and Good Things both state that entries stay on the device.
- **A written reply to what you wrote:** Life Note, where a mentor inspired by a thinker responds. Our [AI journaling apps comparison](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/ai-journaling-apps-compared/) covers similar tools, and the [self-care journal guide](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/self-care-journal/) covers gratitude as one part of a wider routine.

### Free or paid?

All seven apps are free to download, and every one has a paid tier. Grateful limits free users to 15 entries in total and Good Things limits free users to 3 entries a day, so the caps show up fast. Try the free tier for two weeks before you pay. Our guide to the [best free journaling apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-free-journaling-apps/) shows what each free plan includes.

### Privacy questions to ask

- Do entries live on the device, on the developer’s servers, or both, and does the app need an account?
- If the app has an AI feature, which vendor processes your text, and does the company say whether entries train AI models?
- What does the App Store privacy label list under data used to track you and data linked to you? Developers complete it themselves and Apple does not verify it.
- Can you export everything? Several apps here put export behind a paid plan.

### If you already use another journal

You do not need a separate app. Most journals let you add a daily gratitude entry. If you write about worries too, see the [best journaling apps for anxiety](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-journaling-apps-for-anxiety/).

## Safety: gratitude apps are not a substitute for care

Gratitude journaling is a self-help habit that does not diagnose or treat any condition.

If low mood, anxiety or hopelessness lasts for weeks or interferes with daily life, talk to a licensed clinician. If you are in crisis in the United States, call or text **988** to reach the [988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/), free and available 24 hours a day. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

## Try a mentor reply to your next gratitude entry

If you want to write what you are grateful for and read a reply from a mentor inspired by a thinker such as Marcus Aurelius or Seneca, [try Life Note free](https://www.mylifenote.ai/). Your first week includes mentor replies to 10 entries.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the best gratitude journal app?

It depends on how you want to practice. Gratitude: Self-Care Journal is the strongest all-round pick in our review: 4.88 stars on 44,974 US App Store ratings, with prompts, voice entries, affirmations and vision boards. 5 Minute Journal suits a fixed morning and evening routine, Gratitude Plus suits sharing with family and friends, and Orca suits photos and video. Life Note is a general AI journal, not a dedicated gratitude app, so we list it separately for written replies from a mentor.

### Is there a free gratitude journal app?

Yes. All seven apps in our review are free to download on the US App Store and have optional paid tiers. Orca states it is free with no ads, Good Things lets free users list up to 3 good things a day, and Grateful gives 15 free entries. Gratitude Plus is $10.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and Orca Plus is $3.99 a month or $39.99 a year. Prices are US App Store and developer-site figures checked on October 23, 2026.

### Does gratitude journaling work?

Experimental studies support some benefits. In Emmons and McCullough (2003), gratitude groups showed heightened well-being across several, though not all, outcome measures, and the effect on positive affect appeared to be the most robust finding. Seligman and colleagues (2005) report that three of five happiness exercises lastingly increased happiness and decreased depressive symptoms. Neither study tested an app, so we make no claim about how much an app adds.

### Which gratitude apps keep entries private?

It varies. Grateful's listing states that all data resides only on your device, and the Good Things developer page says entries stay on your device with no account. Orca requires an account and states entries are private by default, with synced data sent over HTTPS. Check where entries are stored, which AI vendors process them, and what the App Store privacy label lists. Life Note encrypts entries at rest with a per-account key and never uses them to train AI models, but it is not end-to-end encrypted.

### Are there gratitude apps I can share with a partner or family?

Yes. Gratitude Plus has private Gratitude Circles you can create or join with a partner, family or friends, and a public feed. Orca has Pods, private groups where you send selected photos, videos and text to friends, a partner or family. 365 Gratitude Journal has a community feed. Sharing means other people can read what you post, so check each group's visibility before you write.

### Is Life Note a gratitude journal app?

No. Life Note is a general AI journal with no daily gratitude prompts, streak counter or sharing circles built for gratitude. You can write what you are grateful for and a mentor inspired by a thinker such as Marcus Aurelius or Seneca replies, and the reply can refer to earlier entries. For prompts, reminders and shared circles, use one of the dedicated apps above.

## Related reading

- [Gratitude Journal Prompts](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-journal-prompts/)
- [Gratitude List](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-list/)
- [Gratitude Prompt Generator](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/gratitude-prompt-generator/)
- [Nightly Gratitude Journaling Ideas](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/nightly-gratitude-prompts-help-you-sleep-better/)
- [The Five Minute Journal](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/5-minute-journaling/)
- [Morning Journal Prompts](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/morning-journal-prompts/)
- [Morning Pages](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/morning-pages/)
- [Best Journaling Apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-journaling-apps/)
- [Best Free Journaling Apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-free-journaling-apps/)
- [Best CBT Journaling Apps](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-cbt-journaling-apps/)
- [Best Journaling Apps for Anxiety](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/best-journaling-apps-for-anxiety/)
- [AI Journaling Apps Compared](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/ai-journaling-apps-compared/)
- [Rosebud Review](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/rosebud-review/)
- [Rosebud vs Life Note](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/rosebud-vs-life-note/)
- [Self-Care Journal](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/self-care-journal/)
- [Journaling Ideas](https://blog.mylifenote.ai/journaling-ideas/)

## Sources

- Emmons RA, McCullough ME. Counting blessings versus burdens: an experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2003;84(2):377-389\. [PubMed 12585811](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12585811/)
- Seligman MEP, Steen TA, Park N, Peterson C. Positive psychology progress: empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist. 2005;60(5):410-421\. [PubMed 16045394](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16045394/)

*Last updated October 2026.*