After doing some research on travel journaling apps, I chose this one to start the long overdue process of digitizing my handwritten travel journals from the past four decades. Entering text is very easy, and there are numerous page layouts to choose from. However, there are limitations with regard to where and how photos can be placed in the layouts and the sizing of them. Wish the app had more flexibility to edit size and place photos exactly where you want them. I ordered my first set of printed copies of a journal from one trip and was reasonably impressed at the quality of the printed book. I signed up for the annual subscription so I can enjoy other benefits as well. Other apps I’ve used are much better with handling large numbers of photos, but I like that this one handles a lot of text very well with just a few photos thrown in for visual appeal.

For the most part this is usable software, although using pictures is buggy. Sometimes I load up a bunch of pics for the day’s journal and one will disappear and I get a duplicate of another. The bottom section with arrows is a mystery. Sometimes it shows blank boxes with arrows, sometimes it shows duplicates of pictures I’ve already included elsewhere, and sometimes it’s nonexistent. My biggest complaint though is that in my opinion, if you pay for a subscription, all ads should be removed. I wrote to the company via their support page asking how to remove their ads and not surprisingly did not get an answer whatsoever. I’ve tried several journaling apps over the years when we travel - and so far have been underwhelmed by all. They either charge more as you add content or they have blatantly distracting ads or just don’t work. This is somewhere in between. I’ll use it for this trip and then cancel the subscription and look for something else. Or hey … I’m a retired developer- maybe I’ll write my own.

I was recommended this app by a friend who has used it multiple times. I like it, but figuring out how the features work is more complicated than it appears. Writing the journal is pretty straightforward, but adding pix is more involved. There are multiple steps that need to be done in a certain order for the pix to appear in each chapter. Also, if you want to make your journal available to friends or anyone, you need to use the Share key. You can make the entire journal public or just selected chapters. I suggest you play with it well before you are traveling to avoid frustration. When I used the app on my desktop, the FAQ section answered a lot of questions, but I wasn’t able to find this when I was using my IPad. Now that I’m more familiar with the app, I will use it on future trips.

As an avid traveler, I've found Travel Diaries to be an indispensable tool for documenting my adventures in a way that's both captivating and effortless. With its user-friendly features like customizable layouts and easy map pinning, I've been able to craft stunning travel journals that truly reflect the essence of my journeys. The ability to seamlessly switch between the mobile and web app ensures that I can log my experiences wherever I am, while the option to share my memories publicly or keep them private gives me full control over my travel narrative. From composing with effortless grace using the online text editor to preserving my memories in beautifully printed logbooks, Travel Diaries has truly transformed the way I capture and share my travel stories, making every moment an unforgettable tale.