# TextOCR vs Penbook

The clearest difference is price: Penbook at Free against TextOCR's $0.99. Penbook also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 15 months). TextOCR's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 22) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.1). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Penbook is free to download; TextOCR costs $0.99 up front. Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. TextOCR asks for nothing beyond the download.

TextOCR ships an update every 15 months, Penbook every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TextOCR | Penbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $0.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.5 (45K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **45K** |
| Positive reviews | — | 57.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 136 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 18.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daryl Wong](https://appshunter.io/developer/1005001637) | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) |

## What reviewers say

### TextOCR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/textocr/id1189696452)

**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 TextOCR free?

TextOCR costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Penbook free?

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

### Do TextOCR or Penbook have ads?

Neither TextOCR nor Penbook shows ads.

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

TextOCR ships an update every 15 months, and Penbook every 5 days. Most recently, TextOCR was updated on September 23, 2026 and Penbook on October 1, 2026.

---

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