Pixy
Pixy app iconvsJourney app icon
Free Journey alternative

Pixy vs Journey: a free mood journal without membership

Journey sells a membership for its diary features. Pixy is a free mood journal for iPhone and Android: log your mood, add a note, see your year in pixels.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
4.9 App Store4.7 Google Play700+ ratings
Price for every feature
$0. Free, no subscription
Journey: Premium from $29.99/year
App Store rating
4.87 ★
Journey: 4.65 ★
Google Play rating
4.68 ★
Journey: 4.26 ★

Side by side

Pixy vs Journey at a glance

8 reasons people pick Pixy over Journey, based on public store listings.

Checked on September 29, 2026. Sources: App Store (US), Google Play (US), and public store reviews. "Not in store listing" means Journey does not advertise it.
CategoryPixy app iconPixyJourney app iconJourney
Price for every featurePublic in-app purchase catalog, US App Store$0. Free, no subscriptionPremium from $29.99/year
App Store ratingUS App Store4.87 ★4.65 ★
Google Play ratingUS Google Play4.68 ★4.26 ★
Share of 1 and 2 star reviewsSample of 273 Pixy and 38,719 Journey store reviews4.0%8.8%
Year in pixels calendarBuilt inNot in store listing
Open sourceYes, MIT licenseClosed source
Download sizeiPhone, App Store20 MB227 MB
Works on older iPhonesiOS 12.4 and neweriOS 18.6 and newer

Why Pixy

Why people switch from Journey to Pixy

Pixy does one job well: it helps you notice how your days feel. Everything is free, and nothing gets in the way.

Your year in pixels
Every day becomes one colored square. A full year of moods fits on one screen, so patterns jump out.
Log a day in seconds
Pick a color and you are done. Add emotions, tags, sleep, or a note only when you want to. You choose which steps show up.
Name what you feel
Choose from a long list of emotions, each with a short description. Log as many entries per day as you like.
Patterns you can act on
Weekly, monthly, and yearly statistics show when your mood peaks and which tags come up most often.
Private by default
No account and no sign-up. Entries stay on your phone, behind Face ID or a passcode. Export a backup any time.
Free and open source
No ads, no subscription, no paywall. The code is public on GitHub under the MIT license.

Reviews

Loved by people who tried other apps

Pixy is rated 4.9 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play. Here is what reviewers say.

“Finally, a mood app that isn’t overwhelming! I’ve tried so many tracking apps but they all ask 50 questions and the actually useful stuff is paywalled. I’m pleased this one isn’t like that.”
Verified App Store review · Jun 2025
“I have honestly tried a good few of these apps and I think this is the best. #1 it’s free, #2 it’s clear and easy, #3 it’s not childish.”
Verified Google Play review · Sep 2023
“It has everything you need and it doesn’t overwhelm you with unnecessary ads or functions. One thing I hate is apps that … force you to stare at the monthly and yearly subscription. This app has not done anything annoying like that!”
Verified App Store review · Mar 2025
“Absolutely superb app with the right balance of functionality and simplicity. I tried a couple of other tracker apps but they were too complex and time consuming to fill in. Pixy’s biggest strength is that it can be used quickly.”
Verified Google Play review · Jun 2024
“I downloaded five or six apps before this and deleted them all within ten minutes. This is absolutely everything I was looking for, and it doesn’t cost me $100/year to unlock important features.”
Verified Google Play review · Dec 2023
“Out of all the mood tracker apps I’ve tried, Pixy is by far the best. I love the simple and easy to use design, it also has a very neat layout and aesthetic.”
Verified Google Play review · Nov 2024

Switching

How to switch from Journey to Pixy

  1. Step 1
    Download Pixy for free
    Get Pixy from the App Store or Google Play. No account, no sign-up, no trial.
  2. Step 2
    Keep your Journey history
    Export your old entries from Journey before you leave, so nothing gets lost.
  3. Step 3
    Log today in seconds
    Tap a color for today. Your first pixel is in, and your year starts to take shape.

FAQ

Pixy vs Journey: frequently asked questions

Ready to switch from Journey?

Free on iPhone and Android. No ads, no subscription, no account.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
4.9 App Store4.7 Google Play700+ ratings

More comparisons

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Journey is a trademark of Two App Studio Pte. Ltd. Pixy is not affiliated with Journey. Facts about Journey come from its public store listings and reviews, checked on September 29, 2026. Found something out of date? Tell us.