The 6 best Bullet Journal Apps + The one I use

Are you looking to bring the Bullet Journal experience to the digital world?
Or do you want to see what the Official Bullet Journal App can do for you?

Either way, I’m gonna show you what solutions there are on the market that are truly worthy of being called Bullet Journal App.

First, there is only one official App created and promoted by the original Bullet Journal Team, it’s called “Bullet Journal Companion”.

It does not at all strive to be a digital version of the Bullet Journal. Rather, it’s – as the name already reveals – a Companion to guide and help you use the analog Bullet Journal⁺  in the best possible way.

Bullet Journal Companion – An addition to the Bullet Journal

The five main elements of the Companion are

1. The Library: To backup your existing Notes.
2. The Tracker: To track your Progress.
3. The Quick Log: To take notes on the fly.
4. The Guide: To Learn and Use the BuJo.
5. The Articles: To hear from the Community.

At its core, the companion app wants to help, not substitute. I like that the BuJo Team didn’t even try to invent an app that tries to copy or replace the BuJo. It all sounds like a really nice idea.

However, there are a couple of issues I have with the app.

First, although it does not try to replace, it still conflicts with the main idea of the Bullet Journal: To be alone with your thoughts. By adding an app to your life, you’re adding another distraction with more potential down- than upsides. The less you use your phone, the better.

Second, the app is another 5$ that can be invested more wisely (more on that below). And third, it’s not well perceived by its users. In reviews, many refer to the app as “being useless and a waste of money”.

Tipp: Rather invest in the Book – The Bullet Journal Method

If you’re really interested in learning how to use the Bullet Journal properly, I highly recommend reading the Book instead. It’s really, really well done. It’s one of those books I come back to on a regular basis.

It explains so much more than just how to use it. It gives you insight into the thoughts and philosophy of its Founder Ryder Carroll. And instead of pulling you into the distracting digital world, it teaches you to focus, by reading and being alone with your thoughts. I highly recommend it.

Now that we’ve covered the official Bullet Journal App, what else is there on the market?

While there are plenty of Apps that use the Keyword “Bullet Journal” in the App Store, they are by no means a worthy take on that promise.

Some are Journaling Apps that simply use the Keyword in their name to drive Traffic – I know because I’m an SEO Consultant myself. Others are popular Note Takings Apps that employ the same tactic. Theoretically, they can be used as a Bullet Journal, but they have thousands of other features as well. Features that can be helpful for some, but distracting for others.

If I have learned one thing about Ryder Carroll the founder of the Bullet Journal, it’s that he wanted to create something highly functional and minimalistic. Something that “just works”.

This brings us to the only app that I consider truly worthy of being called a Bullet Journal App. And although I don’t like its name and branding, I love the way it aligns with everything Ryder Carroll is advocating for.

I’m talking about Workflowy.

Workflowy – Fully replaces the Digital Bullet Journal

Workflowy is an outliner app (more on that below) with a strong hit record.

Ev Williams, the founder of Medium, Twitter, and Blogger, uses Workflowy every day. So do many journalists, founders, students, scientists, developers, and individuals from all kinds of fields. This reminds me a little bit of the BuJo Crowd, as it transcends any particular category.

Workflowy is more of a “system” than it is a tool for a specific category, just like the Bullet Journal.

Click here if you want to try it out.

So what does a Bullet Journal really consist of? What are its main tasks?

• write down thoughts
• keep track of things
• create to-do lists
• see your calendar
• brainstorm ideas
• write down goals

And what are its main pillars?

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• Index
• Daily Log
• Monthly Log
• Future Log
• Collections

Ca we fit all those into Workflowy? Absolutely! Workflowy can do almost everything a Bullet Journal can. Most things, even better!

The only thing you won’t be able to do is to draw and manually write in it – For that I’d recommend OneNote.

The other 4 Bullet Journal Apps just don’t cut it

I must admit, I wasn’t completely honest with you in the Title. There are no 6 best Bullet Journal Apps.

To me, there are only two apps on the Market worthy of being called Bullet Journal App. The Bullet Journal Companion and Workflowy.

But I prefer to be a man of my word.

To come true with my promise, here are two more good Journaling Apps: Day One and The 5 Minute Journal. And two more good Note Takings Apps: Notion and OneNote.

I don’t recommend them for Bullet Journaling. But they’re great apps for their individual purpose: Journaling and Note-taking.

I’d recommend watching the YouTube video on how to set up Workflowy to fit and use it as a Bullet Journal.

And that’s it.