# Penmate: Send mail to jail — user reviews > 65 indexed App Store user reviews of Penmate by Penmate, Inc, rated 4.60/5 from 997 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penmate-send-mail-to-jail/id955317881/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penmate-send-mail-to-jail/id955317881.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 841 · 4★ 55 · 3★ 30 · 2★ 14 · 1★ 57 ## What do users think of Penmate? Overall sentiment: negative **Pros** - 🚀 Fast delivery - 👍 Easy to use - 👍 Convenient way to stay in touch - 💡 Allows sending pictures - 👍 Great customer service **Cons** - 💰 Expensive - ⏱️ Slow delivery times - 🐛 Issues with messages/pictures not being delivered - 🔒 Privacy/security concerns - 🔍 Inaccurate inmate search **Commonly reported bugs** - Messages not being delivered - Incorrect address/facility issues - Frequent app crashes and freezes - Logging out issues **Most requested features** - Faster delivery options - Lower pricing - Improved reliability and delivery confirmation - Better customer support responsiveness ## Newest reviews (11 of 65) ### 4/5 — Shaddy Business Practice *2025-12-15, version 1.0.12* This app offers you a messages and 10 pictures picture for a low price. It charge me 3.75 and once I when thru the trouble of writing the letter in their app, uploading the pictures, and making the payment with my credit card still the message does not get sent. Instead the app ask for more money in the form of credits if you want your message to be send. It takes avenge of those family and friends what need to connect with their love ones, because it knows how vulnerable they are in their situation. ### 4/5 — E-Msging *2025-11-14, version 1.0.12* I’d give a five star but it’s not fast enough I wish it was like texting phone to phone ### 3/5 — Slow delivery time *2025-05-11, version 1.0.9* I’ve been using this app for a month now and my acct. has yet to be approved so all my letters are being mailed. And that process takes about a week or more for the them to receive. How long is the approval process? ### 3/5 — Needs fixes *2025-05-06, version 1.0.9* Anytime I click out of a message, they log me out of my account. Not only that , paid to send pictures that took a week to deliver but the person never received them. ### 3/5 — Prison Sludge Tactics *2025-04-19, version 1.0.9* It’s cool that I can send an email to my buddy because these basically keep him sane but what I don’t like is when I do all this. I write an email send it and then and they don’t get it and there’s no explanation they don’t give you a receipt. ### 3/5 — Too expensive *2025-04-07, version 1.0.9* I mean, overall I guess it works fine but it takes way too long to send and receive, especially written messages that don’t allow emessage, and it’s WAY too expensive. Like it’s wrong how expensive it is. 2 dollars to send a letter… that’s insane when other services cost between 15 cents and 50 cents max. ### 2/5 — Why so much? *2025-03-11, version 1.0.9* Although I am grateful, I am able to communicate with my friend on the inside. I cannot believe how much it cost to send an email. Ridiculous! it literally cost them nothing but yet they are on selling communication ### 4/5 — Grateful *2025-02-05, version 1.0.9* I am grateful that i can communicate with my friend in jail. I love how technology is used to support this. My one request is that there could be a reply function so that I could see the message I received while writing the response. ### 1/5 — TRASH *2025-01-19, version 1.0.9* Don’t waste your time or your money on this app. Honestly think it’s a scam. Stole my money and can’t do nothing with it besides send fake messages. I use the help link asking why wasn’t my letter approved, why is it saying it delivered but shows a different state. Never get a response. Throw the whole system away ### 2/5 — Idk *2025-01-07, version 1.0.9* I wrote a letter to someone two months ago it says it was delivered but I never gotten anything back I paid $6 ### 1/5 — OUTRAGED *2024-12-04, version 1.0.9* This service is useless!!! First, It cost over 10$ to mail 2 very short letters. Second, the letters went from MD. To CA Rd or some reason when they were going to VIRGINIA. They are STILL in CA and it has been EIGHT DAYS. yes EIGHT DWYS. it should have taken TWO. and third, I have written customer service multiple times and I have yet to receive an answer. 1 star... They deserve ZERO!!!!! ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Ripped off *2026-04-23, version 1.0.12* My loved one not receiving my mail (letters, photos, postcards) that I send through this app ### 1/5 — Horrible *2025-11-07, version 1.0.12* Letter got sent back to me because there was no doc number on the envelope. Opened it to see the photo I bought wasn’t an actual photo. It was my picture printed on a paper. Due to them not flipping the photo my face is right in the fold… why wouldn’t they put his doc number?!? Not a good app ### 1/5 — Never send the letter *2025-11-06, version 1.0.12* Really bad app always have issues and never send the letter and if pennate emails you then say to resent the letter that’s never happens really really bad app ### 1/5 — No stars *2025-07-25, version 1.0.11* -10 rip off stay away. Must pay to have actual stars cause only had one good review . They are just stealing from people who have a loved one in jail . Straight robbed me. 7 dollars to mail a letter !!!i wanted e message .for .60 I could of mailed a letter myself .shady crooks ### 1/5 — SCAM!!! *2025-05-09, version 1.0.9* I spent $11.75 for two letters. Wayyyy tooo much! After two weeks they say delivered but recipient has not received them. They don’t answer customer service questions. I need a refund! ### 1/5 — App doesn’t work *2025-04-22, version 1.0.9* Sent letters to wrong address ### 1/5 — Woww bad app slow very slow freezing & keep logging me out *2025-03-26, version 1.0.9* The app keeps buffering I’ve been trying to send a message for an hour I’ve tried everything it’s not my phone . ### 1/5 — A REAL SCAM *2025-03-13, version 1.0.9* This app is definitely catered to scamming anyone desperate to reach out to loved ones.. this app SELLS YOUR PERSONAL DATA.. they’re inmate search engine is NOT ACCURATE OR APPROVED.. this app is a smoke show for anyone who will put their card information to be sold bc the app will not open or load once you put in your sensitive information.. definitely NOT A REAL APP! BIG SCAM ### 1/5 — Message/Picture NEVER Delivered *2025-03-02, version 1.0.9* I was charged $7 to send ONE picture and it MADE ME pay for a message to go with it, even though i didn’t want one. Then to top it off, the message was never actually delivered. Would give 0/5 stars if i could. ### 1/5 — Mail returned to sender *2025-03-02, version 1.0.9* The user interface of the app is fine. It was easy to find the correct jail, etc., but that’s where the good part of the review stops. Disappointingly, the letter i sent was “returned to sender” by the correctional facility due to their mail restrictions. The whole point of using this third party app to send letters rather than mailing them myself was to be able to work within the jail’s mail restrictions. Apparently this app is not approved for the jail I was mailing to, however the app made it appear it was approved. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Love *2026-01-23, version 1.0.12* I loveeeee how fast everything gets delivered. It’s also way easier than making a trip to the post office or somewhere to print out pictures and delivery is very fast ! ### 5/5 — Stay in touch with loved ones *2025-12-28, version 1.0.12* The messages go through pretty fast if you’re attaching some pictures that can go slower, but at least there’s a way to send pictures and stuff without waiting for the mailman ### 5/5 — Love *2025-11-06, version 1.0.12* Makes getting in contact with your loved ones so much easier. ### 5/5 — Mail *2025-07-08, version 1.0.11* I am happy to be able to send a message to Lyle Menendez but wish I could actually be notified if he actually received it in stead of just knowing it was delivered to facility. Also requested it be sent thru email and it was sent thru postal service. I would be happy anyway as long as I know if he actually got it. The prison officials do a great job on responding to questions. Love this inmate app. ### 5/5 — Awesome app *2025-05-02, version 1.0.9* It’s a wonderful app my letters get to my loved one with no problems I haven’t had a issue yet and that’s great and this was my first time using Penmate ever it’s so much easier and a great help :) ### 5/5 — Good Review *2025-02-12, version 1.0.9* This was wonderful. Got to send pictures and talk with my son. I will definitely pass this information around to other family members. ### 5/5 — God Sent Service *2025-01-16, version 1.0.9* Tears of joy for this wonderful service you all provide for us to stay in touch with loved ones during an already difficult time thank you it’s a true gift and blessing ### 5/5 — Great app *2025-01-11, version 1.0.9* This app is very convenient and helpful in contacting your loved one inside. Very user friendly! ### 5/5 — Jail mail Pics messages *2024-12-29, version 1.0.9* I like app I can get messages good and send pictures try it you can talk to your love one ### 5/5 — Very satisfied *2024-09-23, version 1.0.9* Was able to find my friend and chat with her. Easiest way to get in contact specially if your unsure of how to send mail. --- *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 2026-08-12.*