1. Home
  2. 🌟 Lifestyle
  3. Penjo
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner

Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner

Handwritten Diary & Calendar

273 ratings
115 reviews
🌟 Lifestyle
📊 Productivity
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated

Features

Developer

Zafer ARICAN
✨Promote your app ✨
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #1 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #2 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #3 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #4 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #5 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #6 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #7 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #8 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #9 for iPhone
Penjo: Pencil Journal, Planner screenshot #10 for iPhone
iphone
ipad
realityDevice
🧾$39.99
In-App Purchase↘︎
📌Ready
Reviews summary↘︎
⭐115
Reviews↘︎
📝7+ tags
Tags↘︎
🔄6+ apps
Alternatives↘︎
🎪3 available
Events↘︎
❓5 answered
FAQ↘︎
📦~ in 1 week
Updates frequency↘︎
🖼️Get Icon
Icons↘︎

About

This app combines journaling, planning, and note-taking with a pencil-first interface. It offers powerful handwriting search, creative image tools, and seamless integration with calendars and reminders. Organize your thoughts and tasks with flexible layouts and personalized tools.

✓Pencil-first writing and sketching
✓Handwriting search and text conversion
✓Calendar and reminders integration
✓Creative image editing tools
✓Customizable pen and tool picker
✓Flexible page layouts
✓iCloud sync across devices
Show original description

What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of Penjo. Based on 273 reviews and a 4.7/5 average, it highlights the 12 positives and 12 negatives reviewers mention most about this Lifestyle app.

Positive things

  • ✍️Excellent Apple Pencil integration and handwriting experience
  • 📅Seamless calendar and reminders integration
  • 💰One-time lifetime purchase option (no subscriptions)
  • 🎨Clean, minimalist, and intuitive user interface
  • ⚡Fast and responsive performance
  • 📱Works flawlessly across iOS and iPadOS devices
  • 🖼️Easy image insertion and manipulation on pages
  • 🔍Handwriting search functionality
  • 👨‍💼Responsive and helpful developer support
  • 🎯Focused design that avoids unnecessary clutter
  • 📖Perfect for daily journaling and note-taking
  • 🔄Cloud syncing capability (when working properly)

Negative things

  • 🐛Unreliable cloud sync across multiple devices
  • 💳Confusing payment model and paywall messaging
  • 🔐Missing security features like screen lock
  • 📱Limited macOS support (Intel Macs incompatible)
  • 🎨Limited customization options for colors and themes
  • 📄Cannot export entire notebooks as PDF
  • 🖊️Text selection and editing tools are clunky
  • ❌Restore purchases button broken for some users
  • ⚠️Automatic app updates without user permission
  • 🔗Broken support page links
  • 📊Limited page layout and template options
  • 🎯Calendar-centric design limits non-daily use cases
See all reviews

What's New in Penjo

3.7.10

September 12, 2026

We are getting Penjo ready for iOS 27. This update brings a few bug fixes, UI and performance improvements.

Subscription plans

Monthly Subscription

All features unlocked during subscription

$2.991 Month
Price Updates
September 3, 2026→$2.99
January 6, 2026→$2.49
July 29, 2025→$2.49
June 29, 2024→$1.99
How to cancel Penjo subscription ⁉️
3

In-App Purchases

$39.99

Pro Lifetime

All Features Unlocked

Events

Read more about Apple Reminder Integration
Event EndedMajor Update

Apple Reminder Integration

Add and manage Apple Reminders, right inside Penjo

Jun 30, 2025 — Jul 31, 2025

Read More

Read more about Dark Mode
Event EndedMajor Update

Dark Mode

Now with dark mode, scribble to erase, and more

May 12, 2025 — May 31, 2025

Read More

Read more about Image Playground Integration
Event EndedMajor Update

Image Playground Integration

Generate Images from your drawings, images or text

Dec 29, 2024 — Jan 14, 2025

Read More

See All

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

First try

I came across this app a few years ago but never looked into it until today. I was looking for something that had the following criteria: 1. Pull sync with my calendars and reminders and auto populate in the planner. 2. Unlimited space for meeting notes. 3. search capabilities for historical entries. 4. drag and drop capabilities of photos or stickers like Goodnotes. 5. An easy transition from Apple Pencil to Typing. This one seems to have all the things I needed without all the extra add ons that bog down apps. I really do like this planner and look forward to using it. The only suggestion I can think of off the top is for an item to list what it is if you hover over it. I have no idea what each thing does unless I actually click on it and then decide if that is what I really wanted to do or need to back out. I know I will learn it over time but it would be nice to be there from the start to help you get familiar.
Show more
Cox241Cox241

Gone through Plenty of Planners

I have gone through plenty of planners and given up after finding too many things I didn’t like about it. Hassles of changing from day to month to week to year, the ability to go from the screen to the next to add a grocery list or things to do list the ability to synchronize with Apple calendar. This one has it all. There are a few things I wish it would do, but those are not big enough to dissuade me from marrying this Penjo Journal/planner.
Show more
Run2patRun2pat

Response from developer

Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We’re very happy to hear that Penjo has made planning easier after you tried so many other apps. We’d also be glad to hear about the features you still wish Penjo had. Please feel free to contact us anytime at support@penjoapp.com and share your suggestions.

Best journaling experience.

I used to journal all through my childhood and teens but had stopped recently due to privacy concerns. I am so glad someone made this excellent app where I could jump back into journaling like I did back in the day right of the bat. One of the best things I like about this app as you can make a one time purchase instead of a subscription. It definitely needs an option to lock individual journals with dedicated passcodes. Also needs an option to change the spacing between lines.
Show more
SonicastleSonicastle

Response from developer

Thank you for your thoughtful review! We are especially happy to hear that Penjo helped you return to a habit you enjoyed for many years. Dedicated passcodes for individual journals are already on our roadmap and will be included in one of our upcoming major releases. Regarding line spacing, you can already customize it in the Paper Type settings under Customize in the journal settings (tap the three-dot icon on the journal card). Feel free to reach out anytime at support@penjoapp.com.

Gefällt mir…

… aber die Kalender-Auswahl bleibt nicht bestehen
MaxMeridianMaxMeridian

Response from developer

Vielen Dank für Ihr Feedback. Es freut uns, dass Ihnen Penjo gefällt, und es tut uns leid, dass die Kalender-Auswahl nicht gespeichert bleibt. Bitte kontaktieren Sie uns unter support@penjoapp.com, damit wir uns das genauer ansehen und Ihnen weiterhelfen können.

Super App!

Diese App macht genau das, was ich bisher mit Goodnotes versucht habe, aber so nicht geschafft habe. Jeder Tag hat eine Notizfunktion, egal, wie viele Seiten. Mit der Übersicht lässt sich alles leicht wiederfinden und such die Suchfunktion klappt einwandfrei!
Wenn jetzt noch der Fehler beim Einfügen langer Texte behoben wird, bin ich wunschlos glücklich.
Einfach super!
Show more
A.B. TesterinA.B. Testerin

Response from developer

Vielen Dank für die wunderbare Bewertung! Es freut uns sehr zu hören, dass Penjo Ihnen genau die tägliche Notizstruktur, Übersicht und Suchfunktion bietet, die Sie gesucht haben. Wir werden uns mit dem Problem beim Einfügen längerer Texte beschäftigen und versuchen, dies in einem kommenden Update zu verbessern. Nochmals vielen Dank für Ihre freundlichen Worte und Ihr hilfreiches Feedback!

See 110 more reviews

Developer apps

Nazar
Nazar

by Zafer ARICAN

💌 Stickers

(1)

$0.99
Emojise
Emojise

Emoji Manager for your iPad

🌐 Social Networking
$1.99
Emojise Lite
Emojise Lite

Easily enrich with emojis

🎨 Graphics & Design
Free
SpeedDial for iPad
SpeedDial for iPad

The phone app you look for

📊 Productivity

(2)

Free
In-App Purchases
Linefall: Draw & Catch
Linefall: Draw & Catch

One-finger ink physics arcade

🎮 Games
Free
With Ads
See developer apps

User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

13 issues

Cloud sync not working across devices despite paid subscription

Bug

App crashes when using photo effects

Bug

Calendar not syncing or displaying properly

Bug

Notebooks disappearing or becoming unopenable

Bug

Text boxes misaligning after app closure

Bug

Bluetooth keyboard text appearing at bottom of screen

Bug

Restore purchases button non-functional

Bug

iCloud sync not automatic despite being enabled

Bug

Family sharing not working on secondary Apple IDs

Bug

Support page returning 404 errors

Bug

Forced app updates without user consent

Bug

Text selection tools unreliable on mobile devices

Bug

Photo shape cutting requires specific upload order

Bug
✨

Requested Features

24 requests

Dark mode or black background option

Feature

Screen lock/page lock to prevent accidental writing

Feature

Apple Pencil advanced features (highlighter, squeeze, double-tap)

Feature

Text formatting options (resize, color change for selected text)

Feature

More page layout templates and line spacing options

Feature

Ability to convert handwriting to text

Feature

Stickers and decorative elements for journaling

Feature

Bullet point and to-do list functionality

Feature

Google Drive and Google Tasks integration

Feature

PDF annotation and file linking capabilities

Feature

Folder and subfolder organization system

Feature

Non-calendar-based notebook organization

Feature

Weekly and monthly view options

Feature

Automatic page creation at 50% capacity

Feature

Customizable default text preferences

Feature

Straight line drawing tool (like Procreate)

Feature

Voice memo support

Feature

Outlook calendar integration

Feature

Book-style page turning interface

Feature

Habit tracker and monthly review templates

Feature

Daily prompt suggestions for journaling

Feature

Emoji and motivational sticker packs

Feature

Page thumbnails and quick navigation

Feature

Hyperlinked navigation tabs

Feature

FAQ

What does Penjo do?

Penjo is a pencil-first journal and daily planner that helps you set goals, plan ahead, and keep organized notes. It integrates with Apple Calendar and Reminders, offers on-device handwriting search, and provides creative image tools for a personalized experience.

What are the key features of Penjo?

Key features include pencil-first writing and sketching, powerful on-device handwriting search, integration with calendars and reminders, creative image tools like background removal and stickers, customizable tool pickers, flexible page layouts, and iCloud sync.

How much does Penjo cost?

Penjo offers a freemium model. Users can unlock unlimited journals and pages, full iCloud sync, enhanced calendar integration, and protected journals through a subscription called Penjo Unlimited. Family Sharing is available on monthly plans.

What devices is Penjo compatible with?

Penjo is designed for Apple devices, including iPad, iPhone, Mac, and visionOS, with iCloud sync ensuring your data is up-to-date across all your devices. It also supports Google Calendar and Exchange.

What are common use cases for Penjo?

Common use cases include daily journaling, planning daily tasks and appointments, creating habit logs, sketching ideas, annotating documents, and organizing notes by topic or color using bookmarks.