Comparison

OnlyNote vs Penpal

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

OnlyNote

This messaging app allows users to send unique, disappearing "Notes" that are more personal than traditional chat. It uses a virtual in-app economy where sending a message costs a "Page," which can be earned back by recipients saying thank you.

Highlights
  • Send one-of-a-kind disappearing "Notes"
  • Virtual in-app economy with "Pages"
  • Earn "Pages" by receiving "Thank You" messages
  • Add unique photo "stamps" to messages
  • Apply curated font filters
  • Schedule message delivery for a future date/time
Features
Read full description

OnlyNote is a messaging app that lets you send special, one-of-a-kind "Notes" to your friends and family. Messages in OnlyNote are more personal than email, more meaningful than chat and more convenient than real letters. We built OnlyNote for anyone who's looking for meaningful, quality communication. Using OnlyNote is perfect for special occasions, keeping in touch, reconnecting with old friends, romantic correspondence and self-expression. How Does It Work? OnlyNote uses a virtual in-app economy to bring the magic of real-world letter writing to your phone. You start off with 5 free “Pages” and you lose a Page every time you send a message or “Note” to another user. Notes are given away just like real letters; they disappear upon sending so that the recipient has the only existing copy. Once your Note is delivered, the recipient can press a “Thank You” button, which will then reward you with a new Page. What Can I Do on OnlyNote? BE ONE-OF-A-KIND: The Notes you write disappear upon sending so that your recipient keeps the only existing copy of the message. MAKE IT COUNT: You lose a Page for every Note you send. This helps you focus on the message to make sure it’s perfect every time. SAY THANK YOU: You receive a free Page from your friends whenever they tap to say “Thank You” for the Notes you send them. STAMPS: Take a unique photo to capture the moment you were writing your Note and stamp it on so that your messages are special every time. FONT FILTERS: Choose from a curated set of font filters to add a personal touch to every Note you send. You can select from serif, sans-serif and more to come. DELIVER LATER: Set the date and time your Note is delivered to a special moment in the future. Finally, you can prove you remembered someone’s birthday! SUPPORT: For real-time support, please go to Settings in OnlyNote and select "Report a Problem" to send a message directly to our customer support team.

About

Penpal

Features
Read full description

Write meaningful letters and watch it route through a virtual network Postal is for couples, close friends, and anyone who wants something slower and more meaningful than texting. Type a thoughtful note or handwrite one with Apple Pencil. Stamp it, send it through a virtual postal network, and watch it travel facility by facility until it arrives. WHY POSTAL IS DIFFERENT • Tools to handwrite your letter, not just sending chats back and fourth • You don't have a "handle", you get virtual mailboxes to receive letters • Easily save addresses of your pen pals to keep the letters flowing • Each letter follows a realistic route as it flows through the network • Meaningful by design. The anticipation make each letter feel intentional • Send it later. Optionally hold a letter sealed until a later date. HOW IT WORKS 1. Claim your mailbox at a post office 2. Add someone by scanning their invite or looking up their mailbox 3. Write your letter 4. Select when it can be opened 5. Track it as it moves through the network PERFECT FOR • Couples in long-distance relationships • Close friends who want to stay connected in a more personal way • Pen pals, near or far • Birthdays, anniversaries, and moments worth a handwritten letter and not a chat bubble POSTAL PLUS Upgrade for unlimited sends, more mailboxes, detailed tracking notifications, and exact unlock times with route estimates. Download Postal and send something worth opening. Terms of Service: https://jackk.dev/projects/postal/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://jackk.dev/projects/postal/privacy/

Screenshots

OnlyNote4 screens
Penpal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OnlyNote at none against Penpal's 2. OnlyNote also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Penpal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. OnlyNote asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
OnlyNote versus Penpal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOnlyNotePenpal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoelson FabianJack Kroll

In-app purchases

None

OnlyNote

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Penpal

Subscriptions2
  • Plus (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • Plus (Annual)14 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is OnlyNote free?
OnlyNote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Penpal free?
Penpal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OnlyNote or Penpal have ads?
Neither OnlyNote nor Penpal shows ads.

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