Looking for the best family journal app to document your family's story? With so many options available in 2025, choosing the right family diary app can feel overwhelming. This comprehensive comparison will help you find the perfect app for your family's needs, whether you prioritize photo sharing, collaborative journaling, or milestone tracking.
What to Look for in a Family Journal App
Before comparing specific apps, let's establish the key criteria for evaluating family journaling apps:
- Privacy and security: Your family memories should stay private
- Collaboration features: Can multiple family members contribute?
- Multi-child support: Easy to organize memories by child
- Photo integration: Seamlessly combine photos with written entries
- Cross-platform availability: Works on both iOS and Android
- Ease of use: Simple enough for busy parents
- Backup and export: Your data should be accessible and safe
Top Family Journal Apps Compared
1. OurKids
OurKids is purpose-built for family journaling with a focus on shared, collaborative memory-keeping.
Key strengths:
- Shared family diaries—multiple family members can contribute
- Kid profiles for organizing memories by child
- Push notifications when family members add entries
- Privacy-first design—your data stays private
- Available on iOS and Android
Best for: Families who want to journal together and keep grandparents involved
2. Day One
Day One is a premium journaling app with beautiful design and powerful features.
Key strengths:
- Beautiful, polished interface
- End-to-end encryption
- Audio and video entries
- On This Day memories feature
Considerations: Primarily designed for individual journaling, not family collaboration
3. Tinybeans
Tinybeans focuses on photo sharing and milestone tracking for families with young children.
Key strengths:
- Photo-centric design
- Milestone tracking features
- Easy sharing with grandparents
- Free tier available
Considerations: More focused on photos than written journaling
4. FamilyAlbum
FamilyAlbum is a free photo and video sharing app for families.
Key strengths:
- Unlimited photo and video storage
- Completely free
- Monthly "album" feature
- Easy family sharing
Considerations: Limited journaling features—primarily a photo sharing app
5. Qeepsake
Qeepsake uses text message prompts to help parents journal about their children.
Key strengths:
- Text message-based prompts
- Daily questions to inspire entries
- Printed book ordering
- Good for journaling beginners
Considerations: SMS-based approach may not suit everyone
Feature Comparison Table
Here's how the top family journal apps compare on key features:
| Feature | OurKids | Day One | Tinybeans |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shared family journaling | Yes | Limited | Yes |
| Kid profiles | Yes | No | Yes |
| Written journal entries | Yes | Yes | Basic |
| Push notifications | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Privacy focused | Yes | Yes | Partial |
Choosing the Right App for Your Family
The best family journal app for you depends on your priorities:
- For collaborative family journaling: OurKids excels at letting multiple family members contribute to shared diaries
- For personal journaling with family mentions: Day One offers the most polished individual journaling experience
- For photo-focused families: Tinybeans or FamilyAlbum prioritize visual memories
- For guided journaling beginners: Qeepsake's prompts help establish a journaling habit
Our Recommendation
If you're looking for a true family journaling experience where everyone can participate, OurKids is our top recommendation. The combination of shared diaries, kid profiles, and push notifications creates a collaborative memory-keeping experience that other apps don't match.
Download OurKids today and start preserving your family's story together.