# PenCake: Minimal Writing App — Private journal, diary & notes > Minimalist writing app for journaling, stories, and personal thoughts. (iPhone/iPad app by Diffathy, Inc..) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencake-minimal-writing-app/id1382218014 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Diffathy, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1364621226) - Category: Lifestyle, Productivity - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.30/5 from 106 App Store ratings · 281 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 12+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 102 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) - Released: 2018-05-24 - Data updated: 2026-08-31 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencake-minimal-writing-app/id1382218014/reviews.md ## What is PenCake? A beautifully minimal space for your thoughts. Pencake helps you focus on your words—whether you’re writing a journal, a story, or something just for yourself. Since 2018, more than 2.3 million writers have chosen Pencake as their space to write in peace. Its clean, distraction-free interface helps you focus entirely on your words. No clutter, no noise—just you and your story. With elegant typography and smooth spacing, writing on Pencake feels as natural and beautiful as writing in a real book. Minimalist, yet powerful - Clean and aesthetically refined interface - Designed to enhance focus and creativity - Beautiful fonts and themes that suit your mood Writing made effortless - Start writing instantly with an intuitive experience - Enjoy smooth performance even with long-form writing - Stay organized with “Stories” that group related entries Write anywhere, anytime - Sync your work seamlessly across all your devices - Continue writing wherever inspiration strikes Safe and secure writing - Auto-save, version history, and trash recovery - Face ID / Touch ID protection Built for real writers - Supports Markdown for flexible formatting - Word and character count, image insertion, and preview mode - Ideal for all kinds of writing—journaling, blogging, novel writing, and fanfiction Whether you're an aspiring writer or just someone who loves writing in peace, Pencake offers a simple yet inspiring place to put your thoughts into words. * Some features such as auto-sync, desktop access, themes, and advanced fonts are available through Premium. --- - Official website: https://pencake.app/ - Desktop app: https://pencake.app/download/desktop/ - FAQs: https://pencake.app/faq/ - Format text: https://pencake.app/guide/markdown/ - Email: pencake.app@gmail.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pencakeapp - X (Twitter): https://x.com/pencakeapp Please help translate into your language. https://crowdin.com/project/pencake Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pencake.app/privacy/ ## Key features - Distraction-free interface - Elegant typography - Cross-device syncing - Auto-save and version history - Markdown support - Organized by Stories ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | Tip the Developer (Subs) | $1.49 | per month | | Premium Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year | | Premium Yearly Subscription | $6.99 | per year | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Lifetime Premium Access | $23.99 | one-time | | Lifetime Premium Access | $15.99 | one-time | | Tip the Developer | $0.99 | one-time | | Tip the Developer | $2.99 | one-time | | Tip the Developer | $9.99 | one-time | | Upgrade to Premium | $2.99 | one-time | | Upgrade to Premium | $5.99 | one-time | | Upgrade to Premium | $1.99 | one-time | | Upgrade to Premium | $3.99 | one-time | | Upgrade to Premium Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (10 of 281) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencake-minimal-writing-app/id1382218014/reviews.md ### 5/5 — great *2026-08-17, version 3.17* It’s a very good app，but I hope that a cover image can be added for each novel, and that novel covers can be displayed on the desktop/home screen so they can be clicked to enter.Thanks！ ### 5/5 — Why you should get this writing app (detailed review and suggestions for newcomers) *2026-07-30, version 3.17* Ok so I’ve had PenCake for a couple days now and I’m super happy to say that I’m not disappointed. It’s exactly what I hoped for. The layout is calm and peaceful, without so many confusing buttons to press or random pop-ups. It’s perfectly worry-free with no instructions when or how to write. No notifications. No demanding mood board, writing streak, or a sudden notification that your free trial has ended and now you have to pay for features that you thought were free. It’s true that there is a premium version and a free version, but as someone who got the app for journaling only, the few limitations that come with the free version doesn’t irritate me at all. This is the ultimate writing app for when you want to dump your thoughts without all the nonsense and noise. I don’t use the photo features or “story” option, as, again, I use it for entries only, but if these are features you are specifically hunting for, I wouldn’t recommend PenCake, especially if you want an app that will track your writing and give you prompts. I don’t like instructions when I write, which is why PenCake fitted so well with me. Another thing is the fact PenCake has no accounts or anything that could link with your Facebook or something. This is something I like, but if this app is accidentally deleted, it should be noted that it cannot be retrieved once you reinstall the app. The best way to prevent losing your work without syncing is to have your writing pasted on a separate document. I keep my writing on PenCake saved on a Google Docs, ensuring I have a backup. This is especially helpful if you don’t feel like syncing and don’t want your work accidentally lost. PenCake is ultimately noise-free, in every sense of the way, clean and efficient, with a stress-free, writing-focused environment. The word pasting also seems limitless and can handle it without glitches. If you want a simple, effective, and quiet place to write about your day and most personal experiences without getting distracted by complex features and ads, PenCake is definitely worth downloading. ### 5/5 — Love this!! *2026-06-02, version 3.16* I've been used this for over 1 year, love most the option to send text as images >< ### 5/5 — 캘린더 기능도 있었으면 좋겠어요!!! *2026-05-22* 너무 깔끔해서 여기다가 일기 쓰는데 캘린더에서 일기 쓴 날, 안 쓴 날 구분하고 싶어요!!! 캘린더 추가해주시면 안될까요? 8ㅁ8 ### 5/5 — 念願のプレミアム *2026-05-14* 4年前からインストールしていて、無料版でも満足出来ていたが、もっと書きたい項目が出来てしまってプレミアムに課金。元々広告無いのがまず有難い。暗い中書いてるので広告のバナーの光があると目が痛くなっていたが、Pencakeにはバナーがなくて助かっている。無駄ないシンプルなデザインなので思考が邪魔されることなく執筆できるのが好き。 好きすぎて投げ銭しました。 最近は目立った不具合はあまり目につかず、たまに項目をタップしても聞かない時があったが、タブを消して開き直したらすぐ直ったので騒ぐことでもないでしょう。1ページ（ひと記事）にどれだけ書いても重くならないのもいいと思います。 要望は記事を好きな順番に編集できるようになることだけ願ってます。 もっと素敵で便利なアップデート待っています。 ### 5/5 — 自由度が高いと思います *2026-03-13* 5年以上前からこちらのアプリを利用しています。 ジャンルごとに分類したり章を分けたり、自分の好きなように使えているのでお気に入りです。ボールド、イタリックなどの書体、文字を大きくするときに、コマンドを打つ感覚で変更出来るのがけっこう好きです。 よくある質問にもありましたが、表現が被るのが好きではないため、検索機能があるといいなと思います。また、誤字脱字チェックに結局wordで校閲する羽目になり、手間だなと思います。 これからも改善が続くといいなと思います。良いアプリを開発していただき、ありがとうございます。 **Developer response:** こんにちは。 PenCakeを5年以上もの長い間ご愛用いただき、誠にありがとうございます。🙏 ジャンルごとの分類や章の分割、またコマンド感覚での書体変更など、ご自身のスタイルに合わせて自由にご活用いただけているとのこと、大変嬉しく思います。 お寄せいただいた2点についてご案内いたします。 1. 検索機能について 現在、[メニュー > 検索] からアプリ全体を対象とした検索を行うことが可能です。しかしながら、検索結果からその単語の正確な位置へジャンプする機能や、記事内で直接検索・置換する機能はまだ提供されておりません。 不便をおかけしており、申し訳ございません。今後、これらの機能が必ず追加されるよう努めてまいります。 （ちなみに、現在PCおよびMac版では検索や置換機能が完全に実装されておりますので、よろしければご参考ください。） 2. 誤字脱字チェックについて 毎回Wordで校閲していただく手間をおかけしており、大変申し訳ございません。 多くの方からご要望をいただいており、執筆において非常に重要な機能であると認識しております。 現在、技術的な検討が必要な段階であるため「確実にいつ追加されるか」というお約束は難しいのですが、可能な限り追加できるよう最大限努力してまいります。 貴重なご意見と、温かい応援のお言葉をいただき、本当にありがとうございます。ユーザー様のお言葉が私たちの大きな励みとなります。 これからも、さらに便利で役立つアプリとなるよう改善を続けてまいります。 その他にも必要な機能やご不便な点、ご質問などがございましたら、いつでもお気軽にお知らせください。 ありがとうございます！😊 ### 4/5 — 文字数のカウント設定 *2026-03-11* かなり前にプレミアムを購入し、長く使っています。訳あってXの下書き用の軽いメモにも使おうとしたのですが、文字数のカウントが半角/全角設定できないので、その用途には使えませんでした……あったらより助かるのにな、と思いました。 あとは、テキスト共有の際にタイトル、日時もコピーするか否かの設定もあると、より捗るなと思います。 難点をひとつ挙げれば…起動時の画面が眩しいので、いつも目をつむってやり過ごさなければならないこと。ダークモード用に切り替わるとありがたいのですが… **Developer response:** こんにちは。 お申し出いただいた点が反映されるよう努めてまいります。ご利用に際しご不便をおかけしましたこと、お詫び申し上げます。また、貴重なフィードバックをお寄せいただき、誠にありがとうございます。 その他、ご提案やご不便な点がございましたら、いつでもお気軽にお申し付けください。 今後もより一層改善されたアプリを目指してまいります。 よろしくお願いいたします。 [2025-10-7] こんにちは。PenCakeをご利用いただきありがとうございます。 文字数に半角／全角を反映させるかどうかを設定できるオプションが追加できるよう、努力してまいります。 機能が不十分なことでご不便をおかけし、申し訳ございません。 また、このように有用な機能をご提案いただき、心より感謝申し上げます。 他にもご不便な点やご要望がございましたら、いつでもお気軽にお知らせください。 これからもより良いアプリを目指して、努力を続けてまいります。 ありがとうございます！🙏 ### 5/5 — Worth it! *2026-01-30, version 3.16* I've used the premium version for 2 weeks now and I totally recommend it! I love how it can handle multiple stories, which is really convenient because I have lots of AUs in my head >< The sync is incredibly fast too, because I work both on PC and mobile at the same time so I really need this function to work well. However, PC version still lacks many features but the dev are working on it so it's fine. I hope it can have as much theme as on mobile. ### 5/5 — 推薦！關於PC版的建議 *2026-01-27, version 3.16* 用了兩年多，也買了高級版，真的很喜歡也覺得很值得！自己也有使用PC版的習慣，希望PC版能新增兩個功能： 1. 主題更換（和手機版一樣多樣化） 2. 下方按鈕的快捷鍵設定（引號分頁符號那邊的按鈕） 真的很喜歡！會繼續支持～ ### 1/5 — 不具合？ *2026-01-19, version 3.16* 同期してもまったく対応しない。日付も過去のまま。。 ## Frequently asked questions about PenCake ### What is PenCake? PenCake is a beautifully minimal writing application designed to provide a distraction-free space for your thoughts. It's ideal for journaling, writing stories, or any form of personal writing. The app focuses on a clean interface and elegant typography to enhance focus and creativity. ### What are the key features of PenCake? Key features include a clean and aesthetically refined interface designed to enhance focus, intuitive writing with smooth performance, seamless cross-device syncing, and robust security with auto-save, version history, and trash recovery. It also supports Markdown for flexible formatting and offers word/character counts. ### How much does PenCake cost? The app offers a freemium model. Basic features are available for free, while advanced features such as auto-sync, desktop access, themes, and advanced fonts are accessible through a Premium subscription. ### Is PenCake available on multiple devices? Yes, PenCake is designed to be used across multiple devices. It offers seamless syncing of your work across all your devices, allowing you to continue writing wherever inspiration strikes. A desktop app is also available for download. ### Who is PenCake for? PenCake is built for anyone who loves to write in peace. This includes aspiring writers, journal keepers, bloggers, novel writers, and those who simply want a quiet, focused space to express their thoughts and ideas. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 3.17 — 2026-07-16 ■ More fonts and themes · Many new fonts have been added. · You can now filter fonts by category to find the one you want. · 23 new themes have been added. ■ Indentation and font size · You can now adjust the first-line indent width in two levels. · A smaller and a larger font size have been added. ■ Safer sync · When setting up sync, a new step confirms the sync direction so you don't accidentally lose your writing. ■ New languages · French and Indonesian have been added. ■ Other improvements · Fixed a crash when exporting an image after a search. · Fixed an issue where indentation was not applied when opening an entry after a search. · Fixed a freeze on iOS 12. ### 3.16 — 2025-12-31 ■ Fixed an issue where unnecessary spacing appeared in the toolbar in edit mode on some devices. ■ Fixed a layout issue where the 'traffic light' buttons (window controls) overlapped with content on iPadOS 26. ### 3.15.2 — 2025-07-20 ■ Fixed an issue where URL links would not open. ### 3.15.1 — 2025-07-01 ■ Fixed an issue where content would disappear when editing an entry in certain environments. ### 3.15 — 2025-05-28 ■ First-line indentation is now available! - You can set it up in [Menu > Settings > Paragraph]. - This is a Premium feature — and free users get to try it too! Give it a go! ■ You can now set the line spacing tighter. ■ Paragraph spacing settings are now available. ■ A new Smart Empty Line Spacing feature has been added — it displays empty lines more compactly. ## Apps similar to PenCake | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [My Diary - Journal with Lock](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/my-diary-journal-with-lock/id1579321589) | 4.7 (28,004) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Diary, Journal, Notes - Diaro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-journal-notes-diaro/id882519460) | 4.7 (4,483) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Simple Diary - Daily Journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-diary-daily-journal/id1388195923) | 4.7 (906) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Prompted Journal - Shadow Work](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/prompted-journal-shadow-work/id1208362996) | 4.8 (6,912) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Card Diary - Journal, Diary](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/card-diary-journal-diary/id1295506659) | 4.7 (1,325) | Free | Lifestyle | | [Daily Journal: Diary with Lock](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-journal-diary-with-lock/id1605113008) | 4.8 (5,484) | Free | Lifestyle | ## Related topics [nano writing journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nano-writing-journal) · [free writing apps fancy](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-writing-apps-fancy) · [free writing apps prompts](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-writing-apps-prompts) · [teco gas](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/teco-gas) · [novel writing journal](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/novel-writing-journal) · [para escribir](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/para-escribir) --- *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 2026-08-31.*