I’m closing in on 10,000 journal entries since I started way back in 2014. I’ve been a dedicated Day One user that entire time, but every once in a while, I see a new journal app that makes me think about switching. Last year, Google released its very own journal app, and I have to say, as a huge fan of modern Android design — and more specifically, Material 3 Expressive — Google’s Journal app immediately caught my eye.I have to get this out of the way right at the start: I haven’t found anywhere that explicitly confirms that Pixel Journal uses end-to-end encryption. Google only states that, although the data you enter into Journal is processed on your device, if you choose to back it up to your Google account, “Google uses world-class security to protect the entries you back up or share.” Day One, on the other hand, makes it loud and clear that end-to-end encryption is enabled by default. My journal would probably be super boring to anyone else, but I still want it to be a safe space for my thoughts, and that absolutely means end-to-end encryption is a must-have for me. That said, Google’s app still has some fun features and design touches that I really like, so if that encryption caveat isn’t an issue for you, it’s worth taking a look. Let’s dive in.