Last Updated on February 11, 2025 by Saskia Friedrich
Bullet Journal vs planner – which one is the better planning system? And what’s the difference between a bullet journal and a planner?
With the sheer amount of different planners you see on Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms daily, I can feel your confusion and frustration.
Throw words like dated bullet journal, bujo planner, Panda Planner, Passion Planner, Hobonichi, Full Focus Planner, and others in the mix, and you feel like giving up on this whole journaling and planning thing before you even started.
A bullet journal, also known as “bujo”, is an empty dotted notebook for your creative expression whereas a planner is for a person in need of a pre-structured and simple system.
Let’s jump into comparing a journal vs planner in more detail as well as exploring some of the other planners, so at the end of this post, you’ll know which one you should get.
Disclaimer: Some of the links here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.
Bullet Journal vs Planner: The Difference
Let me save you from using your precious time to do hours of research in finding the difference between a planner and a journal.
Here’s a detailed overview of what makes a bullet journal and a planner:
| Bullet Journal | Planner | |
|---|---|---|
| Able to brain-dump | Yes | No |
| Space to get creative | Yes | No |
| Preset layout | No | Yes |
| Able to block your time | No | Yes |
| See week/month at-a-glance | No | Yes |
| Structured | No | Yes |
| Built-in page numbers | No | Sometimes |
| Easy to use | Depends | Yes |
| Customization & Personalization | Yes | No |
| Flexibility | Yes | No |
| Duration of usage | Until journal is full | Until the year has finished |
If you like the flexibility to create your own planning system, you should opt for the bullet journal, while if you’re short on time and not very creative, the traditional planner will be the better option for you.
Bullet journal vs planner vs notebook – why are there so many different ones?
You’re probably asking yourself, can I not just combine a bullet journal and a planner to make it easier for myself?
Especially since you appreciate the aspects of both of them.
Let’s find out about the pros and cons and if it’s possible to have a bullet journal in a planner.
Pros And Cons of Bullet Journaling
If you’re more of a creative person and don’t like the look of a predefined planner, the bullet journal is the perfect option for you.
You have room to actually journal and do a brain dump.
| Pros of Bullet Journals | Cons of Bullet Journals |
|---|---|
| Cheaper than a planner | Art supplies are expensive |
| Start any time and use it until all pages are filled | You have to come up with your own ideas |
| You can get creative and build every page differently (i.e. with stickers) | Takes time to set up and maintain |
| Visual and rewarding | It’s easy to get overwhelmed |
| Not restricted to a certain year/month/week/day | It’s hard to stay committed |
What I also like about the bullet journal is that you can simply rip out the page once you have completed a task or if you wrote down something wrong.
Or if something simply doesn’t apply to your circumstances anymore.
A bullet journal is your place for EVERYTHING. Instead of having multiple to-do lists, grocery lists, etc., you write it all in the bullet journal planner.
What You Can Use A Bullet Journal For
- Positive thoughts
- Daily & monthly goals
- Affirmations
- Tracking your mood and habits
- To-do’s
- Projects & Ideas
- Routines
- Appointments
- Spending activity
- Practicing mindfulness
If you don’t want to start your bullet journal from scratch, you can use this bullet journal banner stencils set to give you some inspiration and to save you time getting set up.
Pros and Cons of Planners
A planner is an organizational system that comes in the format of a calendar or agenda, usually containing lines. You can stay on top of appointments and schedules by day, week, and year.
You would usually buy them at the end of the year to get set up for the new calendar year.
A planner can be turned into a bullet journal if you like, just make sure to get a planner with more clear spaces (the Hobonichi Planner is great for this!).
| Pros of a traditional planner | Cons of a traditional planner |
|---|---|
| Predefined system | You have to follow the outline |
| Saves you time | More expensive than a bullet journal |
| Clear overview | Not much room for creativity |
| Simple to fill out | No room to journal and express thoughts & feelings |
| Easy to stay on top of appointments and to-do’s | You can only use it for the current year |
Should I Buy A Planner Or Start A Bullet Journal?
Still not sure which organizational system is better for you?
It all depends on what kind of person you are and what you need help with in your life.
- Have to schedule a lot of appointments? → Planner
- Need to stay on top of other to-do’s? → Planner
- Need to remember birthdays & events? → Planner
- Want to start journaling? → Bullet Journal
- Want to set goals? → Bullet Journal
- Have a note-taking system to stay on top of spendings & routines? → Bullet Journal
If you can’t make a decision right now, why not get a planner (since they’re not very expensive) and build a bullet journal on the side to see if it’s for you?
You can also get a journal and planner in one.
Here are some great planners and journals you can choose from to make sure you’re getting the one that works best for your lifestyle.
Recommended Planners And Journals For You
Making it a bit easier for you, here are some recommendations on bullet journal and planners to kickstart your journey:
- Clever Fox Planner PRO – this planner comes with extra pages to increase productivity, hit goals, and work on your time management
- Hobonichi Techo Planner – popular Japanese design with one page per day, week starts on Monday
- Panda Planner – the special aspect of this planner is that it comes undated
- PAPERAGE Dottet Bullet Journal – classic notebook that comes in many different colors
- LEUCHTTURM Journal – numbered pages for writing & journaling
Bullet Journal Ideas
A bullet journal can be your daily planner, if you like, but there’s also a ton of other things you can use it for. Here are a few ideas what you can use it for:
- Planning your meals
- Tracking your habits, spendings, sleep, routines, etc.
- Tracking your mood
- Journaling & affirmations (learn how to get started with journaling)
- Keeping track of birthdays and upcoming events
- Setting your goals & sticking to them
- Losing weight and doing exercise
- Doing a brain dump
And so much more! Basically anything that’s going on in your life.
Panda Planner vs Passion Planner
Have you been wondering what the difference is between a Panda planner vs Passion planner?
Both planners can be used to organize your day-to-day life, but the Passion Planner focuses more on setting goals and sticking to them, whereas the Panda Planner has a lot of aspects of a bullet journal.
Main Features of The Panda Planner
- 3 bookmarks for monthly, weekly, and daily sections
- Undated
- Elastic band to keep closed
- Inner pocket for storage
Monthly overview includes:
- Scheduling your events and appointments
- Monthly focus & daily habits
- Setting goals
- Reflect on your month and develop a growth-mindset
Weekly overview includes:
- Review your last week
- Break down your projects into little steps
- Plan how your next week can get better
- Setting goals
Daily overview includes:
- Develop positive habits by creating a morning routine
- Manage your time wisely by scheduling tasks
- Set 3-5 priorities each day
- End-of-day review
Check out this Panda planner example to see if this one is an option for you.
Main Features of The Passion Planner
Here are a few key aspects which make the Passion Planner so unique.
- Specific goal-planning strategy which is called “passion planning”
- Step-by-step system to achieve your dreams and goals
- Turns your wishes into measurable goals
- Uses weekly and monthly prompts
Hobonichi vs Bullet Journal
While the bullet journal is an empty notebook, the Hobonichi Planner is a yearly planner showing the months and days.
However, unlike other planners, the Hobonichi Planner leaves you with lots of room for creativity. This is another great system for combining both a journal and a planner.
Full Focus Planner vs Bullet Journal
The Full Focus Planner is a planner of Michael Hyatt & Co.
It increases focus and decreases overwhelm. This combination helps you overcome your barriers so you can achieve your goals.
More details on the Full Focus Planner:
- It’s undated
- Focuses on one quarter at a time
- Breaks down your goals in to yearly, quarterly, weekly, or daily
What makes it different to the bullet journal is its accountability towards your goals.
Every week, it wants you to sit down and review your previous week. It asks you to celebrate your wins as well as checking to see what can be improved.
Bullet Journal vs Planner: Before You Go . . .
I hope you now have a clear idea on what the difference is between a planner vs bullet journal.
Having one of them or even both will improve your life in one way or the other – just give it a try, it’s definitely worth it!
I’d love to hear from you which one was the better choice once you purchased and used one for a while.
Here are a few more resources for you when it comes to planning and organizing:
- Sunday Planning: How To Prepare For A Successful Week
- Work From Home Mom Schedule
- Stay at Home Mom Cleaning Schedule
- Working Mom Evening Routine
- Mommy Morning Routine
Happy Planning & Journaling!
About The Author
Saskia is a mom, blogger, and freelance writer. She loves sharing tips on how to live a more positive and simple life through self-care, personal growth, and journaling.
Find out more about her here or connect with her on Instagram to get more inspiration.
