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Switching from Penzu

A Penzu alternative for private journaling with real insight

Penzu built its name on privacy. Privacy here is the starting point, not the whole product — private entries stay private, and everything else earns its way out.

Penzu vs KNOW ME - SHOW ME

What happens after you write

Penzu stores the entry and shows it again when you scroll back.

Your entries become searchable material you can ASK questions of — answered in your own words first, with the source entry shown.

Outside sources

None, or generic AI text with no citation.

1,950+ public-domain classics, 111,000+ attributed quotes, 6,100+ artworks, indexed podcasts, and published research — every answer tied back to one of your entries and cited.

Private vs shared

One private pile, plus an all-or-nothing export.

Entry-by-entry spaces: PRIVATE, PUBLIC, PROJECT, ADVISOR. Family and friends only ever reach what you filed for them.

Legacy

Nothing built in.

FUTURE LETTERS delivered on a date years away, a named digital executor, and printable keepsakes for relatives who will never sign in.

Getting your data out

Varies by plan and format.

Export everything, or only entries since a date, at any time — including entries you wrote here.

How to export from Penzu and import here

  1. In Penzu, open a journal and use Export to download it as PDF or text (Pro accounts can export whole journals).
  2. Sign in here and open IMPORT MY OLD JOURNAL from SITE TOOLS.
  3. Choose the plain text / generic source option and upload your file.
  4. Review how entries were split and dated, adjust anything odd, then confirm.
Open the import tool

Private stays private — including from the AI

Entries filed as PRIVATE are excluded from friend search, from ASK A FRIEND, and from inheritance. Sharing is per entry, never per account.

Common questions

Who can read my entries?

Only you, unless you file an entry to a shared space or name a specific person. Private entries are never surfaced to anyone else.

Other comparisons

Day One alternative: import your journal and make it answer backA Journey app alternative with grounded AI answersA Notion journal alternative built for reflection, not databases
Start free for 30 daysFounder pricing