What is Penzu used for?

Penzu is an online diary and journal service with encryption, entry locking and iOS and Android apps, free to use with an optional Pro plan. It is a good fit for keeping a private daily diary and tracking a dream journal or food diary.

Is Penzu open source?

No. Penzu is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Penzu include Journiv, Jrnl and GitJournal.

What are some alternatives to Penzu?

Penzu competes with Day One, Journey and Rosebud. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Penzu alternatives.

Penzu: features, pricing and alternatives

About Penzu

Penzu is an online diary and personal journal service focused on privacy. Users write in a web browser or in iOS and Android apps, and entries save as they type, so work is not lost on a computer or on the go.

The vendor lists unlimited entries on the free tier, unlimited devices, encryption, tagging, search, writing prompts, journal and entry locking and entry sharing. Each journal can have its own cover, background and fonts, and reminders can be set daily, weekly or on a custom schedule. Penzu suggests uses such as a reflective journal, food diary, pregnancy journal or dream journal.

Penzu is hosted software with a free tier and a paid Penzu Pro option. The vendor makes privacy its main selling point, comparing its protections with those of a paper diary.

Key features

Unlimited journal entries on the free tier
Encryption and journal locking
Tagging, search and writing prompts
Custom covers, backgrounds and fonts
Daily, weekly or custom reminders
iOS and Android apps

Good fit for

→Keeping a private daily diary
→Tracking a dream journal or food diary

Tags: diary; journal; encryption; privacy; journaling; mobile-app; reminders

Penzu: questions and answers

What is Penzu used for?: Penzu is an online diary and journal service with encryption, entry locking and iOS and Android apps, free to use with an optional Pro plan. It is a good fit for keeping a private daily diary and tracking a dream journal or food diary.
Is Penzu free?: Yes. Penzu has a free plan.
Is Penzu open source?: No. Penzu is proprietary (closed-source) software and can't be self-hosted. Open-source alternatives to Penzu include Journiv, Jrnl and GitJournal.
What are some alternatives to Penzu?: Penzu competes with Day One, Journey and Rosebud. For open-source options, see Enlisted's ranked list of open-source Penzu alternatives.