# Diary With Password vs Penbook

Diary With Password and Penbook both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Diary With Password's written reviews are positive against 58% of Penbook's. Diary With Password also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.1). Penbook's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks) and chart position (#130 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Diary With Password sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Diary With Password holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27K and 46K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Diary With Password's written reviews are positive against 58% of Penbook's.

Diary With Password ships an update every 2 weeks, Penbook every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Diary With Password | Penbook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (27K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-password/id1252208166/reviews)** | [4.5 (46K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 27K | **46K** |
| Positive reviews | **92.1% of reviews** | 57.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#130** |
| Size | 11 MB | 143 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [帆 杨](https://appshunter.io/developer/959829749) | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) |

## What reviewers say

### Diary With Password

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/diary-with-password/id1252208166)

This app provides a private digital space to record daily thoughts, emotions, and life events. It offers robust security features like password and biometric locks, alongside tools for organizing, searching, and exporting your entries. Enjoy a customizable and ad-free journaling experience.

**Highlights:** Password and biometric security, Daily entry logging, Full text search, Data backup and export (PDF/Text), Customizable fonts and sizes, Night mode, Daily reminders

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro version- One-time purchase | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 📝 Customizable fonts and layout
- ⏱️ Time stamp feature
- 🔓 No ads or paywalls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing past entries
- 🖼️ No image/media support
- 🔄 Lack of syncing across devices
- 🔒 Password recovery issues
- 🔧 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Date entries sometimes display incorrectly
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Add ability to import/attach photos
- Implement calendar view for entries
- Allow multiple entries per day
- Provide cloud backup and sync options
- Add more customization options (colors, themes, etc.)


### Penbook

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

**Currently charting:** #130 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

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, iPhone Duo support

**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 Diary With Password free?

Diary With Password is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Penbook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Diary With Password or Penbook?

Diary With Password is rated higher. Diary With Password averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27K ratings, while Penbook averages 4.5 from 46K ratings.

### Do Diary With Password or Penbook have ads?

Neither Diary With Password nor Penbook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Diary With Password or Penbook?

Diary With Password ships an update every 2 weeks, and Penbook every 5 days. Most recently, Diary With Password was updated on October 29, 2026 and Penbook on October 29, 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.*