I always liked the idea of being organized. But it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I actually began using planners and journals seriously. Whether it’s for managing work deadlines, planning content ideas, or just jotting down thoughts during slow afternoons, writing things down feels therapeutic and strangely productive. Of course, when this habit turned into something regular, I started looking around for quality planners and journals that didn’t feel like a boring notebook from a stationery shop.
I tried quite a few online stores in India for this some were good, some were forgettable. But two names stood out consistently: The Ink Bucket and Factor Notes. If you’re into journaling or planning, chances are you’ve come across both. Over time, I have shopped from both multiple times, and I think I now have a pretty clear picture of what makes each one worth considering and which one I always end up going back to.
The Ink Bucket – Beautiful but Premium
Let me start with The Ink Bucket because, honestly, this was my first love when it comes to aesthetic journaling. I found it while scrolling through Instagram one of those impulse ad clicks that actually paid off. What drew me in instantly were the covers: painted florals, watercolors, and dreamy designs that looked like something out of a boutique art gallery. They didn’t look mass-produced, and for someone like me who likes their desk to feel a little personal, that mattered.
What I bought: I ordered one of their Undated Planners for mid-year use. It came in a sturdy hardbound format with 12 monthly spreads, weekly layouts, goal-setting pages, habit trackers, and even little pockets for storing loose notes or stickers. The paper quality was amazing thick enough that even ink pens didn’t bleed through. It came with a bookmark ribbon and a magnetic flap closure which, honestly, made me feel like I was using something premium every time I opened it.
They also sell gratitude journals, wall calendars, art prints, and even notepads with themed collections. Some of their journals come with prompts, which I appreciated because on days I didn’t feel like writing, having questions to reflect on helped a lot.
What I liked:
- The design and build quality are top-notch.
- They focus on slow living, mindfulness, and reflective journaling.
- The packaging is beautiful makes for a great gift.
- New collections every season (I’ve even pre-ordered one!).
What I didn’t like:
- The price. Their planners often range between Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500. Not bad if you use it daily, but not budget-friendly.
- Very limited stock many good designs sell out fast.
- Sometimes a bit too artsy and not purely functional.
The Ink Bucket is perfect if you’re someone who loves stationery that looks artistic and elegant, and if you’re okay spending a bit more for that feeling.
Factor Notes – Youthful, Affordable, and Practical
Then there’s Factor Notes a store I discovered on Amazon first, and then later began buying directly from their website. If The Ink Bucket feels like a quiet cafe with jazz music, Factor Notes feels like a hip co-working space vibrant, functional, and full of energy. Their planners and journals are targeted more at students, creators, and young professionals and the price tags reflect that.
What I bought: I picked up a Dateless Productivity Planner and a Doodle Journal. The planner had a simple yet smart layout undated months and weeks, monthly goals and reflections, space for to-dos, and little prompts for tracking mood and habits. It wasn’t as decorative as The Ink Bucket, but it was extremely practical.
Their range is great if you are someone who wants to build planning and journaling into your daily routine without feeling overwhelmed. I have also used their Budget Planners and Fitness Trackers again, simple layouts but effective if you’re trying to stay on track with goals.
What I liked:
- Very budget-friendly (Most products are ₹499 to ₹999).
- Great for students, content creators, or professionals who want focused planning.
- Lots of themed journals—doodles, bullet journals, self-care journals, etc.
- Fun stickers and freebies in every order.
- Available easily on both their website and Amazon.
What I didn’t like:
- The design is more youthful may not suit someone looking for minimalist or premium-feel.
- Some paper bleed with ink pens (depends on the journal).
- Hardcovers feel slightly less premium in hand compared to The Ink Bucket.
Factor Notes is ideal if you want functionality with a touch of fun, but without breaking the bank.
So, which one is my go-to?
While I truly enjoy both for different reasons, Factor Notes has become my default go-to store over time. Here’s why: I use planners and journals every day now sometimes even switching between a productivity planner and a mental health journal. And with that kind of regular use, I prefer something affordable, straightforward, and focused on daily function. Factor Notes checks all those boxes.
Also, when my younger cousins or friends ask me for recommendations, Factor Notes is the one I point them toward first because it’s accessible, varied, and won’t burn a hole in their wallet. But when I want to gift someone a journal, or when I feel like indulging myself with something truly aesthetic and inspiring, I go for The Ink Bucket. That journal stays on my nightstand for personal reflections and it still gives me that quiet joy of writing something meaningful before bed.
In the end, planners and journals are deeply personal. Some people need structured space to track deadlines, others want a creative zone to express their thoughts. Both The Ink Bucket and Factor Notes offer something valuable but in different ways. If you’re all about visual appeal and creative design, you’ll love The Ink Bucket. If you want affordable, practical tools that help you build good habits and stay organized, Factor Notes is your best friend. As someone who works from home, runs content plans, and occasionally overthinks everything journaling has honestly helped me stay more grounded. And these stores, in their own unique way, have made that process a lot more enjoyable.
Let me know if you’ve used either or found some underrated gem online because I am always open to discovering new stationery obsessions.
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Does either store throw in freebies? I’m a sucker for stickers and extras.
Haha, then you will love Factor Notes, Aman. Almost every time I ordered from them, they threw in a sheet of stickers, bookmarks, or small freebies. It makes the unboxing experience fun, especially if you’re into decorating your pages. Ink Bucket’s packaging is more about elegance it comes beautifully boxed, sometimes with tissue wrapping, and feels like a premium gift. But they don’t usually include playful extras. Personally, I enjoy Factor Notes’ approach more because it adds a youthful, creative energy. When you’re journaling, small things like stickers help you personalize the pages and make the process feel engaging instead of just functional. For gifting though, Ink Bucket’s classy packaging wins hands down. But if you want everyday surprises, Factor Notes is the one that makes journaling more interactive and lively.
Do either of these offer digital versions? I’ve been leaning towards iPad planning apps.
Neither Ink Bucket nor Factor Notes has gone fully digital yet. They are still very much in the physical journal space, and I think that’s by design. Their audiences are people who actually crave the act of handwriting slowing down, doodling, flipping pages. Personally, I have tried digital apps like Notion and GoodNotes on my iPad. They are great for syncing tasks and having everything in one place but they never gave me the same satisfaction as crossing off something with a pen. If you are already in the iPad ecosystem these planners won’t replace it but they can complement it. For example I use Factor Notes for quick daily notes and mental health journaling, while I use digital apps for task reminders and syncing across devices. It doesn’t have to be one or the other you can actually use both without overlap.
How’s the gifting experience? I want to get one for my sister.
Ink Bucket is made for gifting. Their packaging feels luxurious right from the moment it arrives it comes wrapped in custom boxes with a premium finish. When I gifted one to a colleague last year she genuinely thought I had picked it up from a boutique store, not ordered online. The designs themselves also make it feel special because they’re like pieces of art. Factor Notes, on the other hand, feels more functional. If your sister is someone who loves aesthetics, mindfulness, or just enjoys stationery as an experience, The Ink Bucket will leave a bigger impression. If she’s more practical and just wants a tool to stay organized, then Factor Notes is better. Personally, whenever I’m gifting, I always choose Ink Bucket because it feels personal, artistic, and thoughtful in a way that practicality alone can’t match.
used The Ink Bucket once, and while the quality is top-notch, I couldn’t justify spending 2k on a planner every year. Do you really think it’s worth it long-term, or is it more like a luxury indulgence?
For me, The Ink Bucket is like buying a designer accessory. It isn’t something you need, but it adds a sense of joy and uniqueness that cheaper alternatives can’t replicate. The covers, packaging, and prompts make you feel like journaling is more than just scribbling it becomes a little ritual. But I wouldn’t recommend buying it every year unless budget isn’t an issue. Over the long term, Factor Notes is far more sustainable because you can buy two planners for the price of one Ink Bucket. Daily usage tends to wear out even the prettiest of planners, and when you are filling pages with work deadlines and messy notes, practicality wins. So I think: treat Ink Bucket as an indulgence once in a while, but don’t rely on it as your yearly staple.
Bro, I love journaling but hate over-decorated layouts. Which brand is less distracting when you just want clean pages?
That’s a good point. Some journals try too hard to look creative, and it ends up eating into your actual writing space. The Ink Bucket often falls into that category the covers are gorgeous, and even the inside pages sometimes have little art elements or prompts. While that works for people who enjoy guided writing, it can feel distracting if you just want a clean space to dump your thoughts. Factor Notes, on the other hand, keeps things much simpler. Their productivity planner, for example, is basically straightforward grids, goals, and to-do spaces without unnecessary design clutter. That minimalism makes it ideal for someone like you who wants structure but doesn’t want the journal itself to dictate how you write. So if less is more is your style, Factor Notes will suit you better than Ink Bucket.
Do you think journaling helps mental health, or is it just a productivity fad?
I can honestly say it’s more than a fad. I started journaling because I wanted to manage deadlines better, but it slowly became a space to unload my head. On days when things feel overwhelming, even writing down a few random lines makes me feel lighter. The Ink Bucket journals help a lot with this because many of them come with reflective prompts questions like What are three things you’re grateful for today? or What was your biggest challenge this week? Those little nudges help me pause and reflect instead of just dumping tasks. Factor Notes doesn’t push that side as much, but I use their blank or doodle journals for mood tracking and casual writing. In a way, one serves my productivity, and the other helps my emotional balance. Both together make journaling something I stick with not just hype.
Factor Notes sounds cool. Do their journals actually last, though? I’ve seen budget ones fall apart with daily use.
I had the same doubt when I first ordered one. Budget planners often look nice in pictures but the spine loosens, or the cover starts bending after a month of everyday use. With Factor Notes, I was surprised at how sturdy they turned out. The hardcover feels lighter compared to Ink Bucket, but the binding has stayed intact even after months of flipping back and forth. The paper does bleed slightly with fountain pens, but for ballpoints and gel pens, it’s fine. What impressed me most was how easy it was to carry around it doesn’t feel like you are lugging something delicate. I have thrown mine into my backpack along with a laptop, and it still looks neat. So yes, while not luxury quality, it’s definitely reliable for daily use without falling apart quickly.
I keep quitting journaling after a month. Any tips?
The mistake I made early on was thinking journaling had to be done perfectly like filling every section, writing long reflections, or keeping the pages pretty. That pressure makes you quit. What worked for me was lowering the bar. I started by just writing a sentence each day, even something like Had a long day, tired but happy. Once it became a habit, I naturally wrote more. That’s why I recommend starting with undated planners like the ones Factor Notes sells. They don’t guilt-trip you with blank dated pages if you skip a day. You can pick it up anytime and continue. Ink Bucket is great too, but its structured prompts might feel like homework if you’re not consistent. So my tip keep it light, keep it flexible, and allow yourself to miss days without guilt. That’s how journaling becomes sustainable.