About Unwindly
A private, offline CBT journaling app for iPhone and Mac — built for people who want structured mental health tools without compromising their privacy.
What is Unwindly?
Unwindly is a self-help journaling app built on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methodology. It gives you the same structured tools used in CBT sessions — thought records, mood tracking, behavioral activation — in a private, offline environment that works entirely on your device.
Every feature is designed around one goal: helping you notice, examine, and challenge the thought patterns that drive anxiety, low mood, and stress. Not by venting into a blank page, but through structured techniques with decades of clinical evidence behind them.
Unwindly is built by Nikolay Kopylov, an indie developer from Germany focused on privacy-first tools.
Who Unwindly is For
- People dealing with anxiety, rumination, or negative self-talk who want a daily structured practice
- Anyone in CBT therapy who wants to continue working on techniques between sessions
- People who have tried journaling before but found a blank page unhelpful — CBT structure makes the difference
- Anyone who values privacy and refuses to store their most personal thoughts on someone else's server
- People who need a journaling app that works reliably offline — on planes, in remote areas, with no connection
Unwindly is available in English, German, Russian, and Ukrainian.
What Makes Unwindly Different
Privacy by Architecture, Not Policy
Most journaling apps store your entries on their servers — which means your data can be breached, subpoenaed, or used for advertising, regardless of their privacy policy. Unwindly takes a different approach: all data lives on your device. There is no account, no sync server, and no company database that stores your thoughts. The optional iCloud backup is encrypted end-to-end and goes only to your personal iCloud — Unwindly never sees it.
Offline-First Architecture
Unwindly works 100% offline. Your entries are written directly to local storage and are immediately available — not queued for sync, not contingent on a connection. This matters most when you need it most: on a plane, in a dead zone, or during a moment of anxiety when waiting for an app to load is not an option.
CBT Structure, Not Blank Pages
Research consistently shows that unstructured expressive writing can entrench negative thinking rather than relieve it. CBT-based journaling — using thought records, cognitive restructuring prompts, and behavioral activation — produces measurable improvements in mood and anxiety. Every journaling format in Unwindly is grounded in evidence-based CBT methodology.
Validated Clinical Questionnaires
Unwindly includes four clinically validated screening tools to help you track your mental health over time:
- PHQ-9 — Patient Health Questionnaire for depression severity
- GAD-7 — Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale
- PSS-10 — Perceived Stress Scale
- WHO-5 — World Health Organization Wellbeing Index
These are not gamified mood scores. They are the same validated instruments used in clinical settings, adapted for self-monitoring.
Features
Journaling Tools
- CBT Thought Records (7-column format)
- Gratitude Journal with daily prompts
- Daily Reflection for end-of-day pattern tracking
- Quick Entry for capturing thoughts in the moment
Mental Health Tools
- Mood tracking with trend visualization
- Breathing exercises for anxiety relief
- Self-support and grounding exercises
- Coping strategy library
Validated Questionnaires
- PHQ-9 depression screening
- GAD-7 anxiety screening
- PSS-10 stress assessment
- WHO-5 wellbeing index
Privacy & Reliability
- 100% offline — no internet required
- No account required to start
- No health data collected or transmitted
- Optional encrypted iCloud backup
Pricing
Unwindly includes a 7-day free trial with full access to all features. No credit card required to start.
| Plan | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $4.99 / month | Cancel anytime |
| Yearly | $29.99 / year | ~50% off monthly |
| Lifetime | $79.99 one-time | All future updates included |
Subscriptions are managed through Apple's App Store. Prices are in USD and may vary by region.
Platform Availability
- iPhone — iOS 16 or later
- iPad — iPadOS 16 or later
- Mac — macOS 13 or later (native Apple Silicon and Intel)
Available on the App Store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unwindly a replacement for therapy?
No. Unwindly is a self-help tool and should not replace professional mental health care. If you are experiencing severe depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, please contact a qualified therapist or a crisis service. Unwindly can complement CBT therapy — particularly for working on homework between sessions — but it does not provide clinical treatment or diagnosis.
Does Unwindly collect my journal data?
No. All entries are stored on your device only. Unwindly does not collect health data, journal content, or personal information. The optional iCloud backup is encrypted end-to-end using Apple's encryption and goes only to your personal iCloud account — Unwindly's servers are never involved.
Can I use Unwindly without an internet connection?
Yes. Unwindly is designed to work 100% offline. All features — writing, reading, mood tracking, questionnaires — are fully available without a network connection. This is by design, not a limitation.
What is CBT journaling?
CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy) journaling uses structured formats to identify automatic thoughts, recognize cognitive distortions, and develop more balanced perspectives. Unlike free-form expressive writing, CBT journaling follows a process — typically recording the situation, the automatic thought, the emotion, the distortion type, and a balanced response. This structure is what produces measurable improvements in anxiety and mood over time.
Where can I get support?
Visit the Help Center for guides and FAQs, or email feedback@unwindly.app.
Ready to try structured journaling?
Start your mental wellness journey with Unwindly - a private, offline-first CBT journal.
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