How can we help?
Otterly is made by one developer, Mj Alvear, in the Philippines. Send an email and a person will reply, usually within a few days.
Email mjalvear44@gmail.comPlease don’t send journal entries or anything private. We can help without them.
Common questions
Do I need an account?
No. There is no sign-up, no email and no password. Install Otterly and start writing.
Does Otterly need the internet?
No. Everything works offline, even in airplane mode. The app connects to the internet only when you choose to send a report about one of Ollie’s replies. Nothing is synced or uploaded in the background.
Where is my journal stored?
On your phone, in an encrypted database. The key stays on your device. We never see, receive or share your entries.
What happens if I change phones?
Otterly marks your journal to be excluded from phone backups, and the key stays on the old phone. Use Export before you switch. The exported file is not encrypted, so keep it somewhere safe.
Who is Ollie?
Ollie is the otter in the app. His short replies and weekly reflections come from an AI model (based on Google’s Gemma) that runs on your phone. Replies can be wrong. You can hide or report any reply.
Can I report a bad reply?
Yes. If a reply from Ollie is hurtful, wrong or unhelpful, use Report on that reply, pick a reason and add a note if you like. The report holds the reply, your reason and note, its feeling labels, and the app version, platform and language. Your entry is included only if you choose to add it. Reports go to the developer and are deleted after 12 months. There’s no account, so a report isn’t linked to you, and we don’t store your IP address (our hosting providers keep standard request logs).
Is Otterly a medical or therapy app?
No. Otterly is a journaling app for general wellbeing. Otterly is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any medical condition. It is not a replacement for a doctor, a counselor or emergency help.
What languages can I write in?
English, Filipino or Taglish.
Who is Otterly for?
People 13 and older. If you are 13 to 17, please use Otterly with a parent or guardian aware.
Is there an iPhone version?
Not yet. Otterly is on Android first, and the App Store version is coming soon.
How do I delete everything?
In the app, go to Me → Settings → Delete everything. Uninstalling the app also erases your data.
My reminder doesn’t show up.
Check that notifications are allowed for Otterly in your phone’s settings, and that battery saver isn’t stopping the app. You can change the time in Me → Settings → Reminder time.
Ollie said something odd or unhelpful.
Replies come from an AI model and can be wrong. You can hide that reply, or report it from the app so the developer can look into it.
Read the privacy notice. Otterly is for ages 13 and up.