# Penless vs SELPHY Photo Layout

Penless and SELPHY Photo Layout both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Penless's written reviews are positive against 37% of SELPHY Photo Layout's. Penless also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). SELPHY Photo Layout's advantage is ratings volume (22K vs 46). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Penless against 4.7 for SELPHY Photo Layout. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SELPHY Photo Layout has 22K ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Penless's written reviews are positive against 37% of SELPHY Photo Layout's.

Penless ships an update every 3 months, SELPHY Photo Layout every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penless | SELPHY Photo Layout |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penless/id1094568732/reviews)** | [4.7 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/selphy-photo-layout/id1349015402/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **22K** |
| Positive reviews | **91.7% of reviews** | 36.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 103 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [On My Wave, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1186828667) | [Canon Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/331269954) |

## What reviewers say

### Penless

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penless/id1094568732)

Enhance your gifting with personalized video messages attached to physical items via exclusive QR codes. Organize wish lists, save ideas to the cloud, and bookmark favorite websites.

**Highlights:** QR Code Message Writer℠, Attach pictures/videos to gifts, Create and share wish lists, Cloud-based idea board, Bookmark favorite websites

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SELPHY Photo Layout

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/selphy-photo-layout/id1349015402)

Create and save custom photo layouts for printing with compatible devices. Decorate images with stamps and text, arrange multiple photos in collages, or print ID photos. Supports various paper sizes and printing functions for personalized photo output.

**Highlights:** Create and save custom photo layouts, Wireless printing with SELPHY printers, Decorate and arrange photos in collages, Print ID photos, Shuffle and custom size printing, Add stamps, text, and QR codes

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app overall
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Prints high-quality photos
- 🚀 Convenient for printing on the go
- 👍 Love the machine

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App freezes and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Connectivity issues with newer devices
- 🐛 Buggy after recent updates
- 🐛 Slow performance and loading times
- 🐛 Difficult to use and navigate

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and crashes
- Connectivity issues with newer devices
- Unable to select or load photos
- Inconsistent border sizes
- Printing issues after recent updates

**Requested features**

- More layout and customization options
- Ability to resize and reposition photos in layouts
- Bring back N-up printing feature
- Add more fonts, stickers, and overcoat options
- Support for horizontal display on iPad


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penless free?

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

### Is SELPHY Photo Layout free?

SELPHY Photo Layout is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Penless or SELPHY Photo Layout?

Penless is rated higher. Penless averages 4.7 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while SELPHY Photo Layout averages 4.7 from 22K ratings.

### Do Penless or SELPHY Photo Layout have ads?

Neither Penless nor SELPHY Photo Layout shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penless or SELPHY Photo Layout?

Penless ships an update every 3 months, and SELPHY Photo Layout every 4 months. Most recently, Penless was updated on October 23, 2026 and SELPHY Photo Layout on October 24, 2026.

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