Otti vs Daylio: a mood tracker and a self-care pet, compared
Daylio is a well-loved mood tracker: tap a mood and a few activities, and over time you get charts of your patterns. Otti is a different kind of app, a self-care pet with a simple mood journal tucked inside. Here’s how they compare, and who each one suits.
Updated October 20, 2026 · By the Otti team (yes, we make Otti, so read with that in mind)
Choose Daylio if…
- You want a proper mood tracker: fast logging, activities, and charts that show your patterns over months and years.
- You want photos, audio notes, PDF or CSV export, or a PIN lock on your entries.
- You like setting your own goals and habits.
- You don’t want a pet or a story, just a quick, private log.
- You’d like a one-time Lifetime purchase, or an iPad app.
Choose Otti if…
- You want a little companion to look after, not just a log: an otter to feed, tuck in, bathe and play with, that never gets sick or dies.
- Detailed tracking feels like too much, and a five-mood check-in with a note is enough.
- You like tiny, ready-made steps (drink water, step outside, three slow breaths) more than designing your own habits.
- You’d enjoy a story: your otter growing up on its river journey, with an evening story on days you show up.
- You’d like a small circle of friends whose otters hold paws, which Daylio doesn’t offer.
At a glance
| Feature | Otti | Daylio |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | OttiA cozy self-care pet: tiny daily steps help your otter grow up on a journey down the river | DaylioA “micro-diary” mood tracker: tap a mood and a few activities without typing, then see charts of your patterns |
| Pet or character | OttiYes. Hatch one of six 3D otters, each with its own look and personality, and care for it tamagotchi-style (feeding, naps, baths, play) | DaylioNo. Moods are emoji faces, and you can make your own moods and icons |
| Missing a day | OttiYour otter may get hungry or sleepy, but never sick, and it never dies. A day count restarts, but growth and story progress never reset | DaylioNo pet to look after. A goal’s streak is interrupted if you miss it, but your longest streak is kept and you don’t lose your level |
| Price (US) | OttiFree during the beta. Pricing will be announced before launch | DaylioFree version. Premium has a 7-day free trial, and a one-time Lifetime Premium exists. US App Store prices aren’t labelled by plan |
| Mood tracking | OttiDaily mood check-in (five moods) with a note, and a week view | DaylioMoods plus activities, notes, photos and audio notes. Custom moods, weekly to yearly stats, Year in Pixels and slider Scales |
| Friends | OttiOptional Raft: friends’ otters hold paws, send cheers and small gifts. No chat, no public profiles | DaylioNone beyond sharing your stats |
| Privacy | OttiJournal and mood check-ins stay on your phone. No ads, no selling data. No account needed to start | DaylioNo account. Entries stay on your phone, with optional backups to your own Google Drive or iCloud. PIN or fingerprint lock (Premium on iPhone). App Store label: no tracking, no data linked to you |
| Platforms | OttiiPhone and Android (in beta) | DaylioiPhone, iPad, Apple Vision, iMessage and Android. No Mac, Watch or web app |
| Store ratings (US) | OttiNew: in beta, not rated yet | DaylioApp Store 4.8 (about 62K ratings). Google Play 4.7 (464K reviews, 10M+ downloads) |
What Daylio does well
Daylio calls itself a “micro-diary”. You tap a mood and a few activities without typing, and Daylio turns your entries into weekly, monthly and yearly stats and a “Year in Pixels”. You can add notes, photos and audio notes, make your own moods and icons, set goals and habits, and lock your entries with a PIN or fingerprint. Some people have used it for three to ten years, and it often comes up in reviews as a therapist’s suggestion. It suits anyone who wants a quick, private record of their moods and a clear view of patterns over time.
- Fast logging. Tap a mood and a few activities, no typing needed, and you’re done.
- Years of history and stats: weekly, monthly and yearly charts, a Year in Pixels, and slider “Scales” (added in April 2026).
- Strong privacy. There’s no account, and Daylio says your entries are stored only on your phone, with optional backups to your own Google Drive or iCloud. Its App Store label says no tracking and no data linked to you.
- Lots of ways to make it yours: custom moods and icons, themes, dark mode, goals and habits with achievements, and reminders.
- Your entries are easy to take with you, with PDF and CSV export.
- A free version that Daylio says it will keep unlimited, plus a one-time Lifetime Premium option if you’d rather not subscribe.
- Ratings to match: 4.8 stars from about 62,000 ratings on the US App Store, and 4.7 stars with 10M+ downloads on Google Play.
How Otti is different
- Otti is a pet first. You hatch one of six 3D otters (curious, silly, brave, gentle, cozy or dreamy) and care for it tamagotchi-style: feeding, naps, bubble baths and play. Its face shows how it feels, and it never gets sick or dies.
- Self-care comes in tiny steps, like drinking water, stepping outside or taking three slow breaths. You pick a small daily plan from a list of 16, and after three steps a clam opens with a little treasure. You can’t add your own habits.
- Your otter grows from pup to grown-up and travels down a river in six chapters, with an evening story to unlock on days you take care of yourself.
- A calm corner: float down the river with your otter doing 4-6 breathing for 1, 3 or 5 minutes.
- Otti’s mood journal is much simpler than Daylio’s: a daily check-in with five moods and a note, and a week view. There are no activity tags, photos, yearly stats, export or PIN lock.
- Like Daylio, Otti keeps your journal on your phone and doesn’t need an account to start. The optional Raft of friends uses an anonymous account and never shares your journal.
- Otti is new and in beta. Daylio has years of polish, an iPad app and a far deeper journal.
Pricing
Daylio has a free version, and says it will keep a free, unlimited one. Premium adds unlimited moods and reminders, 2,000+ icons, advanced stats, a PIN lock on iPhone, automatic backups, PDF export and more themes. Premium comes with a 7-day free trial, and there’s also a one-time Lifetime Premium purchase. The US App Store lists in-app purchases at $4.99, $17.99, $23.99, $35.99 and $59.99 but doesn’t say which is monthly, yearly or lifetime, and Google Play lists items from $0.99 to $79.99, so check the prices in the app before you buy.
Otti is in beta and free to try. Pebbles, the currency for outfits and treats, are only earned through self-care and can’t be bought. We’ll share full pricing before launch.
Missing a day
Daylio has no pet, so nothing is waiting on you while you’re away. Goals have streaks: Daylio’s FAQ says a goal’s current streak is interrupted when you miss the required repetitions, your longest streak is kept, and you don’t lose your level. Reviewers also mention long daily entry streaks (some of 800 days or more) and filling in past days to keep one going, but we didn’t find an official page explaining how that daily streak works.
In Otti, your otter can get hungry, sleepy or a bit messy if you’ve been away, but it never gets sick, never dies and is always happy to see you. Its growth and story progress never reset. There is a simple day count, but nothing is taken away when it restarts.
Sources
Facts about Daylio come from its own website, app store listings and help pages, checked on October 20, 2026. Prices and features change, so check the app store for the latest. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@ottiapp.com and we’ll fix it.
- Daylio on the US App Store
- Daylio on Google Play
- Daylio FAQ: Daylio Premium features
- Daylio FAQ: Why has my Daylio Premium expired on Android?
- Daylio FAQ: Setting up goals
- Daylio FAQ: How secure is my data?
- Daylio privacy policy
Daylio is a trademark of its owner. Otti isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by Relaxio s.r.o. and Habitics s.r.o.
Questions people ask
Is Otti a Daylio alternative?
Partly. Daylio is a dedicated mood tracker with years of stats. Otti is a self-care pet with a simple mood journal: a daily check-in with five moods, a note and a week view. If you mainly want detailed mood charts, Daylio is the better fit. If you want a gentle companion that makes self-care feel cozy, try Otti.
Is Daylio free?
Yes. There’s a free version, and Daylio says it will keep a free, unlimited one. Premium adds things like unlimited moods and reminders, advanced stats, automatic backups, PDF export and a PIN lock on iPhone. It has a 7-day free trial, and a one-time Lifetime Premium option exists. The US App Store doesn’t label which price is which plan (checked October 2026), so check in the app.
Does Daylio need an account?
No. Daylio says your entries are stored only on your phone, with optional backups to your own Google Drive or iCloud. Some reviewers miss syncing between devices. Otti doesn’t need an account to start either, and its journal stays on your phone too.
Daylio or Otti: which is better for tracking moods?
Daylio, clearly. It has activities, photos, audio notes, custom moods, yearly stats and export. Otti’s journal is deliberately simple, because Otti is built around caring for your otter and taking tiny self-care steps, with a mood check-in alongside.
What are some apps like Daylio?
Mood trackers people often compare with Daylio include How We Feel (free, from a nonprofit), DailyBean (a cute no-writing journal) and Bearable (mood and symptom tracking). Otti is a different kind of app: a self-care pet with a simple mood journal.
Can I use Otti and Daylio together?
Of course. Some people may like Daylio for detailed mood tracking and Otti for gentle daily self-care. If two apps start to feel like a chore, pick the one you look forward to opening.