# Pen & Paper - Digital journal — user reviews > 218 indexed App Store user reviews of Pen & Paper by Martin Diz, rated 4.72/5 from 3,184 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper-digital-journal/id1467006448/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper-digital-journal/id1467006448.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 2,458 · 4★ 453 · 3★ 74 · 2★ 13 · 1★ 55 ## What do users think of Pen & Paper? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - ✨ Perfect app - 🎨 Variety of paper styles - 💻 Simple and basic - 🚀 Easy to use - 🔒 No intrusive ads - 📝 Great for journaling - 🖌️ Realistic paper feel - 📚 Consistent journaling - 👍 User-friendly interface - 💯 Amazing free app - 🔍 Useful for notes and drawings - 🎨 Customizable backgrounds - 🖋️ Feels like real pen and paper **Cons** - 🔍 Lacks zoom feature - 🔄 Occasional issues with writing detection - 🔒 No landscape mode - 🔀 Difficulty organizing pages - 🔒 Limited pen/brush customization - 🐛 Occasional data loss **Commonly reported bugs** - Writing not detected at times - Pages sometimes deleted unexpectedly - Toolbar interaction issues **Most requested features** - Add photo/link import capability - Implement landscape mode - Introduce text/typing features - Add selection/move tools - Provide more pen/brush customization - Improve page organization and navigation ## Newest reviews (19 of 218) ### 4/5 — Good app *2026-05-31, version 1.11* Pretty easy to use so far and free! ### 4/5 — Good review *2026-05-01, version 1.11* This is a really good app and I would use this as a diary and write in it everyday it is a really good app:) ### 4/5 — If I could design this brilliant, I’d be bright! *2026-04-16, version 1.11* I love the simplicity of this app. I love that I can compartmentalize my thoughts into different notebooks. I love that I can Choose my writing tool and how strong or lovely the utensil and color is. I love that I can just write instead of type. I wish that it would not download each journal upon opening. Let me pick which journal I’m open to right then for speed sake and because why. Bye! ### 5/5 — Simple enough even I can use it *2026-02-12* It's really just *start a notebook*. *Add a page* when you’ve run out of room. *Start a different notebook* for a different topic, if you’d like organized thoughts. Or start a lot but don’t have any organization system. No one is looking. You’re not being judged. Probably. I’ve got one (notebook-still on that topic) with white paper charcoal lines and black ink, one with charcoal paper and it’s lined, of course, with darker charcoal lines. I can kind of make them out. I’m writing in pale teal ink. It’s an oddly satisfying writing color combo. And it is writing, not typing. I’d imagine typing is an option, though. Using a knock-off Apple Pencil, I’m actually writing, and it accepts that. It’s not trying to change my writing to a print or a font or even tidy it up. It’s just letting me do my thing. I use way too much velocity and pressure. I honestly could be so light with my touch that it feels like I’m not making contact and it registers fine. Instead I prefer to actually carve my work into this expensive high-tech screen like it’s a stone tablet... That works too, but I’m disappointed that my wrist is tired. ### 5/5 — THE BEST NOTE TAKING APP EVER *2026-01-21, version 1.11* This note taking app is the best because you can draw stuff. You can write all your notes down. You can undo. Erase and choose colors and add more pages. It’s so fun. It works with Apple pen too, which is a dream come true. ### 5/5 — Perfect *2026-01-10, version 1.11* I love the fact I can hand write my notes/messages without having to open a drawing box or having my handwriting convert my notes into text. I can also add sub notes into the margins without additional formatting. I am very happy with this app. ### 4/5 — Great! *2025-11-16, version 1.11* I use it to make drawings for woodworking. The app works great for my needs. Love that I can use my apple pencil with it. ### 5/5 — .TY *2025-10-01, version 1.11* I love this my brothers are not seeing my stuff anymore TY ### 5/5 — I love it! *2025-09-23, version 1.11* Simple and to the point. Just what it promise true pen and paper experience ### 5/5 — Simple and easy *2025-04-08, version 1.11* Just what I was looking for. Simple to make different journals, lists or reminders. No more multiple paper notebooks. My only complaint is, would love to have this be available for my IPHONE ### 3/5 — Please add zooming in and going into landscape mode on iPad! *2025-04-07, version 1.11* My writing is very big, and I tend to zoom in when I’m taking notes so that I can write comfortably. Also, I prefer to write in landscape mode because it is easier. Please add these features and I will rate this app 5 stars because this app is actually good! ### 5/5 — love this app *2025-03-26, version 1.11* exactly what i was looking for and works great! ### 5/5 — Great *2025-03-25, version 1.11* No ads,no bugs,and totally free 5 stars ### 5/5 — Great *2025-03-18, version 1.11* Great app for taking notes, scratching, etc.. and it is totally free, no ads. ### 5/5 — Perfectly Simple *2025-03-12, version 1.11* It’s simple to use and it’s exactly what I wanted … a simple paper and pencil ❤️ ### 5/5 — Pen & Paper *2025-03-11, version 1.11* Fun ### 5/5 — Perfect App!! *2025-03-01, version 1.11* If I could give this app more stars, I would it is so simple and basic and easy to use doesn’t have intrusive ads and 30,000 different modes to choose from it’s basic it has a pen, pencil marker, eraser, and different colors to choose from you can’t go wrong with it. Paired with the realistic paper feeling screen protector it’s even better. ### 5/5 — It's so cool *2025-02-13, version 1.11* So easy to do things on and I Just love It ### 4/5 — Nice and simple *2025-02-02, version 1.11* I just downloaded this app for morning pages, and it’s nice and simple. Is there a way to add photos or live links though? That would be nice. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Useless *2024-12-07, version 1.11* I am not getting any pen picked up neither it’s showing any instructions how to use nor did I get anything written on those pages it’s clearly blank ### 1/5 — Horrible *2023-10-14, version 1.11* Hate you. All my notes. Over 100 pages of journaling. Gone.for no reason. No backup because it doesn’t even work ### 1/5 — i can’t write *2023-08-20, version 1.11* i just got a new ipad and apple pencil for school. i’ve tried countless notes apps and am looking for a good quality one for free. i downloaded this and made a new notebook and it wouldn’t allow me to write on the page. i tried it with the apple pencil, regular stylus, and with my finger and nothing worked ### 1/5 — Bad *2021-10-16, version 1.11* Can’t even write or draw ### 1/5 — No landscape mode! Seriously? *2021-05-15, version 1.11* How can an app developer in 2021 still not support landscape mode on an iPad?!?!?!? Basic but HUGE blunder! Deleting app almost as quickly as it downloaded. ### 1/5 — Help *2020-12-11, version 1.9.0* I’m trying to write but it’s not letting me and UGH,I have reset everything and still not working please help I’m a teacher and I need this all for my students thank you bye. ### 1/5 — It’s not doing anything *2020-12-08, version 1.9.0* I kept on taping and pulling my finger and apple pen around my iPad but in never draws or does anything! ### 1/5 — I can’t write *2020-06-09, version 1.9.0* This app will not like me write write my Apple pen or a thing ### 1/5 — I cant write *2020-04-22, version 1.8.1* This app will not let me write anything with my finger or pen does anyone know how to solve this ### 2/5 — It’s all gone. *2025-10-31, version 1.11* For the first while, it’s really nice to have a dedicated app for taking handwritten notes in a digital medium. But now I can’t get any of my notes to open. They just say they’re “downloading” and nothing else, and no progress is ever made. I can’t get a single note to open. Everything I put in here is basically just lost to me. I’d love if this were fixed so I could just write a nice review, but it ate all of my notes. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Its really good *2026-08-11, version 1.11* Really good for cheer notes lets go TS you ### 5/5 — Love this *2026-08-09, version 1.11* I have been looking for a pen and paper that feels like true paper. ### 5/5 — 10/10 no notes *2026-06-21, version 1.11* I appreciate there being no subscription for a simple journal app, unlike the other hundreds of apps out there. I enjoy the selection of colors, pens, and ruled/grid options ### 5/5 — ᗩᗰᗩᘔIᑎᘜ *2026-06-13, version 1.11* 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚 𝕔𝕒𝕟 𝕕𝕣𝕒𝕨 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕞 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕝 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕩𝕡𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕞𝕦𝕔𝕙 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕝𝕖 𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕝. 𝕚𝕥 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟𝕥 𝕔𝕠𝕤𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕚𝕤 𝕤𝕦𝕡𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕦𝕟 𝕚 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕒𝕡𝕡 ### 5/5 — Exactly what I needed! *2026-04-05, version 1.11* I downloaded and tried so many apps just wanting a simple lined notebook that didn’t endlessly scroll and actually had marked pages I could write on. Everything I tried had maybe two of those things or wanted an insane subscription fee. But this app is perfect! It has all those things and hasn’t asked me for a cent after a week and many pages of use. Simple, no frills, no complications, perfect for a daily journal like I use it for or for students taking notes. Highly recommend! ### 5/5 — Good for journaling *2026-03-31, version 1.11* Fantaculicious ### 5/5 — Best for work note *2026-03-26, version 1.11* Best for work note ### 5/5 — Best thing ever *2026-03-21, version 1.11* This app is so good ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-03-16, version 1.11* This is really nice It'S nice to have an app that feels really close to being a journal I used to write in journals a lot as a teen but never felt secure with out working about someone reading my personal feelings and with this app I feel like I have the privacy I want and need and the controls for the pencil are great ### 5/5 — Solid no frills App *2026-03-13, version 1.11* I’m very happy with this as a basic journaling App. I don’t use it for anything else. Apple notes serves its purpose, Apple journal was frustrating and clunky so I just deleted that. I don’t want some bloated App that that does so many things that you can’t even figure out the basics: write some words on a page. This App is perfect. I like the white background with black ink. Colors and pen options are available, lined pages are an option as well. Locking the App requiring biometric identification is also available. It’s so simple and very enjoyable to use. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-12.*