Islet

Overview

Islet is a free, open-source journal for people who want to keep text and media in separate notebooks. It suits privacy-conscious users comfortable choosing their own S3 or WebDAV storage; its appeal is control over stored data, not a hands-off setup.

Entries can include photos, video, and voice, and a calendar helps you revisit them by date. Sync is required to use Islet across devices, so choosing storage is part of getting started.

Key features

Chat-style entries with media

Each notebook has its own chat-like thread, and entries can include text, photos, video, and voice. That combination works well for journaling that captures moments in several formats, while separate notebooks keep different parts of life apart. If you want a conventional long-form writing interface, this chat-like format may be a poor fit.

Calendar review

A calendar provides a date-based way to return to past entries. It is useful for looking back at a particular day, though the described review option is date-focused rather than a broader search feature.

Storage and privacy

Users choose S3 or WebDAV, and Islet says those services store only ciphertext, with no Islet server between the user and storage. The app also says users are the sole owners of their data, and does not require sign-up or personal details. This gives privacy-minded users control over where data is stored, but requires arranging storage and sync rather than relying on an Islet-hosted account.

Pricing

Islet is free to use. Its Free plan costs nothing and includes open-source software, no account or sign-up requirement, and text, photo, video, and voice entries. There is no paid tier or free-plan quota described, so there is no stated upgrade threshold; the trade-off is that users must supply S3 or WebDAV storage and use sync.

Platforms

Islet has an iPhone and iPad app through the App Store, while Android users install the app from an APK. A browser extension is available for Chrome, Edge, and other Chromium browsers. Sync is required for entries to extend beyond one device, so the platform range does not remove the need to configure storage.

Who it's for

Islet is best for people who want a free journal with media entries, separate notebooks, and direct control over storage, and who are willing to handle S3 or WebDAV setup. It is less suitable for anyone who wants to avoid storage configuration, or who expects device-to-device use without required sync.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free and open source, with no account or personal details required.
• Pros: Text, photos, video, and voice can live in separate notebooks, with a calendar for date-based review.
• Pros: Users choose S3 or WebDAV, and Islet says stored content is ciphertext rather than data passing through an Islet server.
• Cons: Required sync and user-selected storage make setup less turnkey than a journal that handles storage for you.
• Cons: Android installation uses an APK rather than the App Store route offered on iOS.
• Cons: The chat-like notebook format may not suit people who prefer a traditional writing layout.

Alternatives

Choose Journey instead if you want a journal across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows, and a paid annual membership that includes 10GB cloud storage and 5,000 journal entries; it costs $50.04 a year. MoodHaven Journal is another free option for readers comparing journaling apps. Pick Rosebud if you want a freemium journal with a free trial and apps across Android, iOS, macOS, web, and Windows. Stoic is an alternative with a free tier, free trial, and Android, iOS, macOS, and web apps. Consider Day One for its free tier, supported Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and extension platforms, and a one-month in-app trial subject to App Store eligibility. Diarium offers free basic journaling with limited Pro features across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Mindsera has a free tier and trial across Android, iOS, and web. Penzu offers a free Basic plan with unlimited entries and mobile apps on Android and iOS, as well as web access.

Verdict

Islet is a strong fit for privacy-conscious journalers who want media-rich, notebook-based entries at no cost and are willing to choose and sync their own storage. Its user-controlled S3 or WebDAV model is the clearest reason to choose it; look elsewhere if you want storage and syncing to be handled for you or prefer a conventional journal layout.