# VerseCloud vs Penbook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VerseCloud at none against Penbook's 22. VerseCloud also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 58%). Penbook's advantage is ratings volume (46K vs 49) and update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. VerseCloud asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for VerseCloud against 4.6 for Penbook. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penbook has 46K ratings behind it against 49, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 67% of VerseCloud's written reviews are positive against 58% of Penbook's.

VerseCloud ships an update monthly, Penbook every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | VerseCloud | Penbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/versecloud-bible-study-tool/id1092932080/reviews)** | [4.6 (46K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **46K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 58.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 125 MB | 142 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Quantum Quinn](https://appshunter.io/developer/554537545) | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) |

## What reviewers say

### VerseCloud

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/versecloud-bible-study-tool/id1092932080)

Organize, remember, and review Bible verses with this free study tool. Features include saving verses from various sources, memory games, flashcards, and collaborative study features. Syncs across devices and offers web access.

**Highlights:** Organize and save Bible verses, Memory games and flashcards, Verse entry from camera or documents, Collaborative Verse Pads, Cross-device and web sync, Multiple Bible translations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Penbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295)

Create custom digital notebooks with a vast library of stationery or import your own PDFs for annotation. Write naturally with a stylus and organize your notes with dynamic features like live planners and searchable handwriting.

**Highlights:** Live Paper dynamic stationery, Over 400 stationery types, Import and annotate PDFs, Natural handwriting with stylus, Searchable handwritten notes, Shape recognition, Customizable notebook covers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penbook Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Penbook Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Penbook Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime (Loyalty) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Variety of customization options for notebooks
- 📝 Smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil
- 🗓️ Useful calendar integration
- 💡 Innovative features like washi tape and stickers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔒 Lack of password protection or locking feature
- 🔧 Glitchy zooming and ruler functionality
- 🧭 Poor notebook and page management
- 💰 Restrictive free version, expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Sticker resizing issues causing app freezes
- Ruler placement and alignment problems
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between pages
- Calendar sync not working as expected
- PDF import and annotation functionality not reliable

**Requested features**

- Allow custom notebook covers or images
- Add text box and typing capabilities
- Improve organization with folders or tags
- Provide more customization options for templates
- Implement a more intuitive undo/redo system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is VerseCloud free?

VerseCloud is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Penbook free?

Penbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, VerseCloud or Penbook?

VerseCloud is rated higher. VerseCloud averages 4.7 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Penbook averages 4.6 from 46K ratings.

### Do VerseCloud or Penbook have ads?

Neither VerseCloud nor Penbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, VerseCloud or Penbook?

VerseCloud ships an update monthly, and Penbook every 5 days. Most recently, VerseCloud was updated on October 10, 2026 and Penbook on October 19, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*