# DAILY NOTE vs PenCake

The clearest difference is ads: PenCake at none against DAILY NOTE's shown. PenCake also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). DAILY NOTE's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.3). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DAILY NOTE sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and PenCake sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

DAILY NOTE holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 310 and 121 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of DAILY NOTE's written reviews are positive against 86% of PenCake's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

DAILY NOTE ships an update every 3 weeks, PenCake monthly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | DAILY NOTE | PenCake |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (310 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-note-day-note-diary/id1176935129/reviews)** | [4.3 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencake-minimal-writing-app/id1382218014/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **310** | 121 |
| Positive reviews | 83.4% of reviews | **85.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 40 MB | 102 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [youngjin seo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1140443665) | [Diffathy, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1364621226) |

## What reviewers say

### DAILY NOTE

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/daily-note-day-note-diary/id1176935129)

Capture your daily thoughts and memories with this digital journal. Easily write entries, add photos, and customize your experience with various themes. Organize and find your notes effortlessly through calendar views and search.

**Highlights:** Easy and fast writing, Attach photos, Customizable themes, Calendar view for notes, Searchable content, Backup and restore, Password and biometric lock

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 📅 Useful calendar view and date tracking
- 🔒 Secure with password protection
- 🖼️ Ability to add photos to entries
- 💻 Seamless cross-device usage

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📢 Excessive advertisements
- 🔍 Limited search functionality
- 🔖 Inability to create multiple entries per day
- 🔄 Lack of automatic backup/sync options
- 🖍️ Limited customization options for text formatting

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes
- Inconsistent behavior when saving notes
- Delayed or missing notification alerts

**Requested features**

- Add support for bullet points, bold, and italic text
- Implement iCloud/Google Drive sync for cross-device access
- Allow creation of multiple notes per day
- Introduce a dark mode option
- Provide more font and color customization options


### PenCake

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencake-minimal-writing-app/id1382218014)

A minimalist writing app designed for focused journaling, storytelling, and personal expression. Enjoy a distraction-free interface with elegant typography and seamless cross-device syncing. Secure your work with auto-save and biometric protection.

**Highlights:** Distraction-free interface, Elegant typography, Cross-device syncing, Auto-save and version history, Markdown support, Organized by Stories

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $6.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Tip the Developer | $0.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Premium | $1.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Premium | $3.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Premium | $5.99 | one-time |
| Tip the Developer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Access | $15.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade to Premium Lifetime | $19.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Premium Access | $23.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DAILY NOTE free?

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

### Is PenCake free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DAILY NOTE or PenCake?

DAILY NOTE is rated higher. DAILY NOTE averages 4.6 out of 5 from 310 ratings, while PenCake averages 4.3 from 121 ratings.

### Do DAILY NOTE or PenCake have ads?

DAILY NOTE shows ads; PenCake does not.

### Which is updated more often, DAILY NOTE or PenCake?

DAILY NOTE ships an update every 3 weeks, and PenCake monthly. Most recently, DAILY NOTE was updated on November 2, 2026 and PenCake on November 2, 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.*