diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 63e3730..e108120 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@
 A tiny Neovim plugin that tracks characters added and deleted while you are in
 insert mode.
 
-It keeps global lifetime totals:
+It keeps daily totals:
 
 - `added`: characters inserted
 - `deleted`: characters removed
 - `net`: `added - deleted`
 
-The statusline text shows `net`, for example:
+The statusline text shows today's `net`, for example:
 
 ```text
 LOC +123
@@ -72,8 +72,8 @@ The plugin defines these commands when it is on your runtimepath:
 
 - `:LocEnable` starts tracking.
 - `:LocDisable` stops tracking.
-- `:LocReset` clears the counters.
-- `:LocStats` prints the current counters.
+- `:LocReset` clears today's counters.
+- `:LocStats` prints today's counters.
 
 Calling `require("loc").setup()` enables tracking by default. Use this if you
 want to configure the plugin but start it manually:
@@ -102,6 +102,20 @@ When `data_path` is `nil`, stats are stored at:
 stdpath("data")/loc.nvim/stats.json
 ```
 
+Stats are stored by local date:
+
+```json
+{
+  "2026-04-30": {
+    "added": 123,
+    "deleted": 45
+  }
+}
+```
+
+With `persist = false`, daily counters stay in memory only for the current
+Neovim process.
+
 ## API
 
 ```lua
@@ -113,7 +127,7 @@ require("loc").statusline()
 require("loc").stats()
 ```
 
-`stats()` returns:
+`stats()` returns today's counters:
 
 ```lua
 {
diff --git a/lua/loc/init.lua b/lua/loc/init.lua
index 123a2e4..f995c6f 100644
--- a/lua/loc/init.lua
+++ b/lua/loc/init.lua
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ local state = {
   snapshots = {},
   save_pending = false,
   dirty = false,
-  added = 0,
-  deleted = 0,
+  days = {},
 }
 
 local function data_path()
@@ -45,6 +44,21 @@ local function json_decode(value)
   return vim.fn.json_decode(value)
 end
 
+local function today_key()
+  return vim.fn.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+end
+
+local function day_stats(date)
+  local day = state.days[date]
+
+  if not day then
+    day = { added = 0, deleted = 0 }
+    state.days[date] = day
+  end
+
+  return day
+end
+
 local function char_count(value)
   if value == "" then
     return 0
@@ -150,8 +164,10 @@ local function apply_change(added, deleted)
     return
   end
 
-  state.added = state.added + added
-  state.deleted = state.deleted + deleted
+  local day = day_stats(today_key())
+
+  day.added = day.added + added
+  day.deleted = day.deleted + deleted
   state.dirty = true
 
   vim.schedule(function()
@@ -165,10 +181,7 @@ local function save_now()
   end
 
   local path = data_path()
-  local payload = json_encode({
-    added = state.added,
-    deleted = state.deleted,
-  })
+  local payload = json_encode(state.days)
 
   local ok = pcall(function()
     vim.fn.mkdir(vim.fn.fnamemodify(path, ":h"), "p")
@@ -219,12 +232,14 @@ local function load_stats()
   end
 
   if not state.config.persist then
+    state.days = {}
     state.loaded = true
     state.loaded_path = path
     return
   end
 
   if vim.fn.filereadable(path) ~= 1 then
+    state.days = {}
     state.loaded = true
     state.loaded_path = path
     return
@@ -234,9 +249,18 @@ local function load_stats()
     return json_decode(table.concat(vim.fn.readfile(path), "\n"))
   end)
 
+  state.days = {}
+  state.dirty = false
+
   if ok and type(parsed) == "table" then
-    state.added = tonumber(parsed.added) or 0
-    state.deleted = tonumber(parsed.deleted) or 0
+    for date, stats in pairs(parsed) do
+      if type(date) == "string" and type(stats) == "table" then
+        state.days[date] = {
+          added = tonumber(stats.added) or 0,
+          deleted = tonumber(stats.deleted) or 0,
+        }
+      end
+    end
   end
 
   state.loaded = true
@@ -320,8 +344,10 @@ end
 function M.reset()
   ensure_setup()
 
-  state.added = 0
-  state.deleted = 0
+  local day = day_stats(today_key())
+
+  day.added = 0
+  day.deleted = 0
   state.dirty = true
   save_now()
   vim.cmd.redrawstatus()
@@ -330,10 +356,12 @@ end
 function M.stats()
   ensure_setup()
 
+  local day = day_stats(today_key())
+
   return {
-    added = state.added,
-    deleted = state.deleted,
-    net = state.added - state.deleted,
+    added = day.added,
+    deleted = day.deleted,
+    net = day.added - day.deleted,
   }
 end
 
diff --git a/test/loc_spec.lua b/test/loc_spec.lua
index 0404998..57dbb00 100644
--- a/test/loc_spec.lua
+++ b/test/loc_spec.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,30 @@ local function assert_equal(actual, expected, message)
   end
 end
 
+local function json_encode(value)
+  if vim.json and vim.json.encode then
+    return vim.json.encode(value)
+  end
+
+  return vim.fn.json_encode(value)
+end
+
+local function json_decode(value)
+  if vim.json and vim.json.decode then
+    return vim.json.decode(value)
+  end
+
+  return vim.fn.json_decode(value)
+end
+
+local function read_json(path)
+  return json_decode(table.concat(vim.fn.readfile(path), "\n"))
+end
+
+local function write_json(path, value)
+  vim.fn.writefile({ json_encode(value) }, path)
+end
+
 local function assert_change(old, new, expected_added, expected_deleted)
   local added, deleted = loc._measure_change(old, new)
 
@@ -22,8 +46,23 @@ assert_change("hello", "hello world", 6, 0)
 assert_change("héllo", "hallo", 1, 1)
 assert_change("one\ntwo", "one\nthree", 4, 2)
 
-local tmp = vim.fn.tempname()
-loc.setup({ auto_enable = false, data_path = tmp, save_delay_ms = 1 })
+local today = vim.fn.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
+local old_day = "2000-01-01"
+
+local daily_path = vim.fn.tempname()
+write_json(daily_path, {
+  [today] = { added = 7, deleted = 2 },
+  [old_day] = { added = 4, deleted = 1 },
+})
+
+loc.setup({ auto_enable = false, data_path = daily_path, save_delay_ms = 1 })
+
+local loaded_stats = loc.stats()
+assert_equal(loaded_stats.added, 7, "loaded daily added")
+assert_equal(loaded_stats.deleted, 2, "loaded daily deleted")
+assert_equal(loaded_stats.net, 5, "loaded daily net")
+assert_equal(loc.statusline(), "LOC +5", "daily statusline")
+
 loc.reset()
 
 local stats = loc.stats()
@@ -31,4 +70,34 @@ assert_equal(stats.added, 0, "reset added")
 assert_equal(stats.deleted, 0, "reset deleted")
 assert_equal(loc.statusline(), "LOC +0", "statusline")
 
+local daily = read_json(daily_path)
+assert_equal(daily[today].added, 0, "reset today added on disk")
+assert_equal(daily[today].deleted, 0, "reset today deleted on disk")
+assert_equal(daily[old_day].added, 4, "reset preserves old day added")
+assert_equal(daily[old_day].deleted, 1, "reset preserves old day deleted")
+
+local change_path = vim.fn.tempname()
+loc.setup({ auto_enable = false, data_path = change_path, save_delay_ms = 1 })
+loc.enable()
+
+local bufnr = vim.api.nvim_create_buf(false, true)
+vim.api.nvim_set_current_buf(bufnr)
+vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(bufnr, 0, -1, true, { "a" })
+vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("InsertEnter", { buffer = bufnr })
+vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(bufnr, 0, -1, true, { "abc" })
+vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("TextChangedI", { buffer = bufnr })
+
+local changed_stats = loc.stats()
+assert_equal(changed_stats.added, 2, "tracked edit added")
+assert_equal(changed_stats.deleted, 0, "tracked edit deleted")
+
+loc.save()
+loc.disable()
+vim.wait(20)
+vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(bufnr, { force = true })
+
+local changed = read_json(change_path)
+assert_equal(changed[today].added, 2, "tracked edit saved today added")
+assert_equal(changed[today].deleted, 0, "tracked edit saved today deleted")
+
 print("loc.nvim tests passed")