Otay vs Pairloom
Last checked: October 28, 2026, against each app’s own website and App Store listing.
Pairloom and Otay both keep a couple's days as pictures. Pairloom turns each photo into a card you flip over to write a love note and add stickers. Otay gives you both the same daily quest and keeps the two answers side by side in a journal with a map and a calendar.
In their words: Pairloom (Pairloom: Couples Photo Diary) describes itself as a shared photo diary for couples, where a photo on the front becomes a card with words and stickers on the back. Otay: Otay is a private photo journal app for two people, on iPhone. Every day both of you get the same small photo quest and answer it with a back-camera photo and a selfie, a caption and a place, and your two answers sit side by side in a shared journal only the two of you can see, with a photo calendar, a map, throwbacks, a kind streak map, a wardrobe for your two little characters and Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets.
We make Otay. We have tried to be fair, and every fact about Pairloom below comes from the sources listed at the end. If something is out of date, tell us at hi@otay.app and we will fix it.
At a glance
| Feature | Otay | Pairloom |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | A daily photo quest you both answer, kept side by side in a shared journal | A shared photo diary of cards, with a note and stickers on the back |
| Daily prompt | The same small photo quest for both of you | No prompt described. Each of you shares a photo from your day |
| Photos | A back-camera photo and a selfie each, with a caption and a place | One photo per card, with a love note, a signature and stickers on the back |
| Notes | Notes you write or draw, and quick taps like Hey! and Miss you | A note on your partner's card |
| Streak | A kind streak of days you both answered; a missed day takes nothing away | A streak with streak protection on the paid plan. A day counts if either partner shares a photo, per its site |
| Platforms | iPhone, iOS 17 or later (the App Store also lists iPad). Not on Android yet. | iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision, all listed as OS 26 or later. Android not stated |
| Free plan | Free, no time limit and no ads. You see your last 30 days of memories (at least your newest 15); older ones lock, never deleted. | Your first five cards are included; Pairloom Plus unlocks unlimited cards and every sticker |
| One subscription for both? | Yes. When either partner subscribes to Otay Premium, both get it. | Yes. One subscription covers both paired partners |
| Languages | English, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish | English, French, German, Spanish, Vietnamese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese |
| App Store rating (US) | Not enough ratings for the App Store to show an average yet. | 5.0 from 1 rating |
| Paid plan (US App Store) | Otay Premium, monthly or yearly. See /pricing. | Monthly $6.99; a yearly plan at $39.99 (listed as PairDiary Yearly) |
Pairloom is the better pick if
- You love the idea of a keepsake card with a handwritten note and stickers on the back.
- You want a cheaper paid plan.
- You use a Japanese, Vietnamese or Chinese interface.
Otay is the better pick if
- You want a daily quest, so you never wonder what to photograph.
- You want to start with no card limit: Otay's free plan shows your last 30 days, where Pairloom's includes your first five cards.
- You want to run it on an older iPhone: Otay needs iOS 17, Pairloom needs iOS 26.
- You want a map and throwbacks.
The short version
Pairloom is the prettier keepsake if you like writing on the back of a photo. Otay is the one with a daily quest and a bigger journal. The iOS 26 requirement matters: check your phone before you both download it.
Sources
All checked on October 28, 2026.
- Pairloom on the App Store (US): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pairloom-couples-photo-diary/id6761013008
- iTunes lookup for Pairloom (OS version, languages): https://itunes.apple.com/lookup?id=6761013008&country=us
- pairloomapp.com: https://pairloomapp.com
- Otay on the App Store (US): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/couples-photo-journal-otay/id6769610508
- otay.app, Otay's privacy page: https://otay.app/privacy
- otay.app, Otay's pricing page: https://otay.app/pricing
Otay turns small moments into a shared journal, just for the two of you.
One small photo quest a day. You both answer, and your two halves hang side by side, in a journal with no feed, no algorithm and no ads. Free to download on the App Store.
Download Otay on the App Store
