All comparisons
DaylogueDaylogue
vs
Standard NotesStandard Notes

Daylogue vs Standard Notes

Standard Notes built its reputation on one promise: your notes are encrypted, and nobody can read them. That promise matters. And they deliver on it.

Standard Notes

Standard Notes is best for

Users who want one secure app for notes, tasks, code, and files—with open-source code, public audits, and maximum data portability.

Daylogue

Daylogue is best for

Users who want encrypted storage plus AI that helps them reflect, without needing to be a natural writer or know what to say.

Feature comparison

Both encrypt everything. One adds AI.

Feature
DaylogueDaylogue
Standard NotesStandard Notes
End-to-end encryption
Yes - zero-knowledge for stored content
Yes - XChaCha20-Poly1305
User holds encryption keys
Yes - keys never leave your device
Yes - password-derived keys
Open source with audits
No
Yes - regularly audited
AI journaling features
Yes - conversational with follow-ups, summaries, themes
No AI features
Voice journaling
Yes - multi-language voice input
No
Guided journaling prompts
Yes - questions, mood check-ins, daily prompts
No - blank page only
Automatic insights & patterns
Yes - weekly, monthly, yearly recaps
No analysis features
Offline support
Yes - full offline functionality
Yes - excellent offline support
Platform support
iOS, Web
iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
Multi-purpose (notes, code, files)
Journaling focused
Yes - notes, tasks, code, files
Data export
Yes - full export
Yes - single text file export
Free tier
Yes
Yes - unlimited notes
Standard Notes

Where Standard Notes excels

Standard Notes has earned trust through transparency.

Open source with public audits: Code is publicly available and regularly audited by independent security researchers
No third-party tracking: Runs its own analytics and email infrastructure—no Google Analytics, no Mailchimp
Multi-purpose secure storage: Notes, tasks, code, files, passwords—one encrypted container for everything
Platform coverage: Native apps for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and web
Long-term portability: Export everything to a single text file. Your data isn't trapped in a proprietary format
Daylogue

Where Daylogue is stronger

For people who want more than a blank page.

AI-assisted reflection

Standard Notes is a blank page. Daylogue asks questions, follows up, and helps you think through your day. If you struggle with "what should I write?", Daylogue solves that problem.

Automatic insights

Summaries, themes, patterns, trends. Daylogue shows you what's happening in your life over weeks and months. Standard Notes stores what you write but doesn't analyze it.

Lower effort journaling

One-tap mood check-ins. Quick daily prompts. You don't need to be a writer. Daylogue makes reflection accessible to people who've never kept a journal.

Built for emotional wellness

Daylogue is designed for self-reflection and personal insight. Standard Notes is designed for secure note storage. Different goals, different experiences.

Conversational interface

Talk through your thoughts with an AI that remembers context and asks relevant follow-ups. Standard Notes is silent by design.

Structured recaps

Weekly, monthly, yearly summaries that surface patterns automatically. In Standard Notes, you'd have to do this analysis yourself.

Privacy philosophy comparison

Standard Notes and Daylogue share a core belief: your private thoughts should be private. Both deliver genuine zero-knowledge encryption for stored content.

Where they align

User-held encryption keys
Provider cannot access content
No selling or sharing of user data
Data export available
Standard Notes

Standard Notes approach

Purist approach. No AI. No analytics integration. Minimal third-party services. Maximum privacy through simplicity.

Daylogue

Daylogue approach

AI and privacy can coexist. Your stored data is encrypted. When you use AI features, content is processed transiently and never persisted in plaintext.

If you want absolute minimization of data exposure, Standard Notes is the purist choice. If you want encrypted storage plus AI assistance, Daylogue shows that you don't have to choose between insight and privacy.

Common questions

Does Standard Notes have any AI features?

No. Standard Notes focuses on encrypted note storage. There are no AI-powered features for summarization, prompts, or analysis. If you want AI assistance, Standard Notes isn't designed for that.

Which is more private?

For stored data, both are equally private. Zero-knowledge encryption means neither provider can read your content. Daylogue processes some content through AI when you use those features, which involves transient decryption. Standard Notes never sends your content anywhere. If you never want your content decrypted outside your device, Standard Notes is more restrictive.

Can I use Standard Notes as a journal?

Yes. Standard Notes has a Daily Notebooks feature that creates a new note each day. It's a functional journaling setup. But it's a blank note, not a guided experience. You write, it stores. No prompts, no insights, no patterns.

Is Standard Notes open source?

Yes. The code is publicly available and regularly audited by independent security researchers. This is a meaningful advantage for people who want to verify privacy claims.

Which is better for non-writers?

Daylogue. Standard Notes assumes you know what you want to write. Daylogue asks questions and guides you through reflection. If staring at a blank page feels intimidating, Daylogue removes that barrier.

Can I import from Standard Notes to Daylogue?

Standard Notes exports to a simple text file format. You can review your history in Standard Notes and start fresh with Daylogue. Direct import is not currently supported.

Try Daylogue

Encrypted journaling that actually helps you reflect. Start with a simple check-in.

Your entries are encrypted at rest. AI processes transiently. Nothing persists in plaintext.