Voice logs that transcribe themselves on device. Swipe up for your activity, or keep it on your home screen. Plus a drag-to-nest editor for your timelines.
ZenJournal is a fast, private journal built around calm, frictionless writing.
Open the app and start logging. Speak it, type it, or snap it. Search with ?, organize with #hashtags, and switch between timelines for life, work, travel, ideas, or anything else you want to keep separate.
ZenJournal keeps journaling simple:
- Fast timeline-first writing
- Voice logs with on-device transcription, so your audio never leaves your phone
- Photos attached to any entry
- Export in Paper, Ink, and Warm styles as an image, PDF, TextBundle, or text
- Separate timelines for separate parts of your life
- iCloud sync across your devices
- Discreet Mode to blur your logs in public
- Face ID and Touch ID lock
- #hashtags and ? search built into the same input
- Backup and restore
- Dark mode and light mode support
Use ZenJournal for stream-of-consciousness writing, morning pages, private notes, ideas, memories, travel logs, work reflections, or a calmer alternative to noisy feeds.
ZenJournal is free to use, with unlimited logs and two timelines. Zen Pro adds photo and voice logs, on-device transcription, PDF and TextBundle export, and as many timelines as you need. Every plan starts with a 7-day free trial.
Privacy Policy:
https://thezenjournal.com/posts/privacy-policy
Terms of Service:
https://thezenjournal.com/posts/terms
Simplest journaling app with best layout. Fasted way to log anything and opens very quickly. One star deducted because there’s no way to search for past entries or edit anything after you’ve saved and moved on to the next note.
Developer Response
Thanks for the review! You can simply tap the question mark followed by the keyword you want to search, right in the input box. I think it’s also the fastest way to search. Sorry currently no editing yet. But will definitely think about the best way to implement it. 🙏
Perfect minimal journal!
RoxyJaws
I’ve never been interested in all the scrapbooky side of journaling. As I start to get more into journaling, what I wanted was a simple, elegant, minimal, open and go, no frills journal app. This app delivers just that plus a few handy tools (like the hashtags to organise ideas and the discrete feature is great too) It’s a joy to use! I look forward to many more brain dumpy stream of conscience entries in the future!(Ps. Feature idea: It would be fun to be able to keep the journal synced between multiple devices, although I understand that means dealing with accounts and I totally get if you don’t want to do that)
Developer Response
We finally added an edit feature, and iCloud sync. Please check it out!
I love the concept, awaiting the execution
Zezosk
10/10 concept 5/10 execution It’s a very stream of consciousness experience. However, not everyone is into that. Just imagine if the app was exactly the same way it is right now, but each entry is its own little zen journal app. Instead of everything getting dumped together, It’s neat little pockets of dumps. Would be 10/10 💯
Developer Response
I think you are talking about multi timeline. Please check out our latest version, and hope that meets your expectations.
Subscription hit!
Invisible Waters
Nasty subscription! You should have give a one time purchase option to those who supported you first by downloading and using your app.
Developer Response
Hi, not sure if you are still using the app but we have added a one time purchase option with the new version, and iCloud sync, multi timeline and more... Let me know if that’s something you are still interested in.
Voice logs, an activity chart, home screen widgets, and a real editor for your timelines.
Talk instead of typing
- Record a voice log right in the input, without leaving your timeline. Scrub the waveform, pause and resume mid-thought, or discard and start over.
- Transcription happens on device, in the language you actually speak, and the words land in your timeline the moment you stop. The audio never leaves your iPhone.
- Copy the transcript from any recording.
See every day you showed up
- Swipe up from the input for a chart of your activity. Not a streak counter, just the shape of your months.
- Put the Activity widget on your home screen, small or medium. Tap a day and the app opens right there.
- With Lock Mode on, the widget stays put and shows the shape without a single word.
Timeline Garden
- Your timelines are now a tree you can tend. Drag a bubble onto another to nest it, tap to rename, reorder, or remove. Entries in a removed timeline are kept and stay searchable in All.
Also new
- A share extension: send text, links, or photos from any app straight into a timeline.
- New photo and camera cards for attaching images.
- Journal reminders as real notifications, with the frequency set in Settings.
- A guided first run that lets you try each feature instead of reading about it. Replay it any time from Settings.
- Discreet Mode keeps dates and times readable so you can still find your way around, and Copy and Share ask you to unlock first when Lock Mode is on.
- Haptics across capture, save, and selection.
Zen Pro has new pricing, and every plan now starts with a 7-day free trial. If you already subscribe, your price stays exactly as it was.
Version 5.4.0
The developer, Shaomeng Zhang, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
The developer indicated that this app supports the following accessibility features. Learn More
Supported Features
VoiceOver
Voice Control
Larger Text
Dark Interface
Differentiate Without Colour Alone
Sufficient Contrast
Information
Seller
IdealistSpace Inc
Size
19.9 MB
Category
Health & Fitness
Compatibility
Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 26.0 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 26.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.
Apple Vision Requires visionOS 26.0 or later.
Languages
English and 8 more
English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese