DreamKeeper deserves its reputation. It has a 4.8 average from 556 ratings on the US App Store, a clean idea, and no in-app purchases at all. It has been on the App Store since 2012. It also hasn't been updated since 28 November 2023, and the update before that was in October 2020. Both things are true, and both matter when you choose where to keep years of dreams. We make Dreamlock, so weigh our view accordingly.
Who should pick which?
Pick DreamKeeper if you want a free, no-frills typed dream diary. You get dates, people and theme tags, search, a passcode, Dropbox backup and text or PDF export, and you're comfortable using an app that isn't being actively developed.
Pick Dreamlock if you'd rather speak than type at 6am, and want each dream read, painted and remembered. You'd also want the app locked with Face ID, with no account, in an app that's brand new: Dreamlock has been on the App Store since 15 September 2026.
What does DreamKeeper do well?
It stays out of the way. Per its listing, it's built to chronicle a dream "at the very moment you wake from it," then find it again with a date slider, keyword search, or people and theme tags. You can protect the journal with a passcode, back up and restore through Dropbox, and export dreams as text or PDF. It's English-only and runs on iPhone, needing iOS 14 or later. Its privacy label lists usage and diagnostic data, not linked to your identity.
Is DreamKeeper still updated?
No, not recently, and we'd rather say that plainly than hint at it. Version 1.9.2 shipped on 28 November 2023, with the note that it was a touch-up to run smoothly on the latest iOS versions. There's been nothing since. That doesn't mean it has stopped working: plenty of people still use it happily. But an unmaintained app may stop working after a future iOS release. So if you keep using it, turn on the Dropbox backup and export now and then.
What does Dreamlock do differently?
Capture is a voice note: one tap, eyes closed, recorded and transcribed on the phone, so your voice never leaves it. By morning, Dreamlock has turned the mumble into a dream card: a clean retelling, a title, a painting of the dream, the symbols it found, the mood, and an interpretation. The interpretation covers what named traditions say, always attributed, what psychologists notice, and one question to sit with. It never predicts the future.
Over time it builds a personal symbol index, and you can ask questions of your own dream life. Answers cite the cards they came from. The free tier includes unlimited capture, three interpreted cards a week and ten questions. Plus is $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year.
Side by side
| DreamKeeper | Dreamlock | |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | Typed entries, with people and theme tags | One-tap voice note, transcribed on the phone |
| Interpretation | None; it's a diary | Traditions (attributed), psychology, one question |
| Lock | Passcode | Face ID / passcode; hidden in the app switcher |
| Backup | Dropbox backup and restore; text or PDF export | Optional encrypted iCloud sync to your own iCloud (Plus) |
| Price | Free, no in-app purchases | Free (3 interpreted cards a week); Plus $4.99/month or $39.99/year |
| Last update | 28 November 2023 | 23 September 2026 (on the App Store since 15 September 2026) |
The honest bottom line
If all you want is a free typed diary and DreamKeeper runs well on your phone, there's no urgent reason to leave. Just keep a backup. If you want a new app that does the remembering and the understanding, that's what we built Dreamlock for. Either way, the habit is what matters most; see how to remember your dreams. And for every other option, see the best dream journal apps for iPhone.
Competitor details checked 27 September 2026 against the DreamKeeper App Store listing and Apple's iTunes lookup data. Dreamlock details come from our own product fact sheet.