Comparison

Penman vs LightPDF Scanner

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

Head to head
About

Penman

Effortlessly convert spoken words into text notes in over 120 languages using advanced speech-to-text technology. Enhance your writing with AI-powered actions and organize your notes with a powerful, intuitive editor. Sync securely across devices and export your work in various formats.

Highlights
  • Speech to text transcription
  • AI-powered writing enhancements
  • Intuitive text editor
  • Note organization and categorization
  • Cross-device iCloud sync
  • Export to PDF, TXT, Image, HTML
  • Multiple language support
Features
Read full description

Penman turns your voice into notes — and your notes into knowledge. Record lectures, meetings, and ideas with real-time voice transcription in 120+ languages, chat with your notes through Spaces AI, and let built-in study tools create flashcards and quizzes for you. VOICE TO TEXT, LIVE - Real-time speech transcription in 120+ languages - Import audio files and transcribe them in minutes - Dictate hands-free, then refine with AI actions (summarize, reorder, rewrite) SPACES — AI CHAT WITH YOUR NOTES - Ask questions and get grounded answers with citations and source cards - Knowledge retrieval across your notes, documents, and recordings - On-device intelligence with Apple Foundation Models AI STUDY TOOLS - Generate flashcards from any note in one tap - Build quizzes automatically and test yourself - Summarize, reorder, and run custom AI prompts SCAN, LISTEN, CREATE - OCR: turn photos and scans into editable text - Text-to-speech playback with word highlighting - Create images with Apple Image Playground EVERYWHERE YOU WORK - iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Export to PDF, TXT, JPG, and HTML - App Intents and Shortcuts for automation - Rich text editor with fonts and bidirectional writing support PREMIUM Unlock unlimited transcription, all AI features, and every export format with Penman Premium. Download Penman today and turn every conversation, lecture, and meeting into notes that work for you. Subscriptions will be charged to your credit card through your iTunes account, and will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage your subscriptions in the App Store Account Settings. Terms of Use: https://penmanai.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://penmanai.app/privacy

About

LightPDF Scanner

Transform your mobile device into a powerful scanner. Easily capture documents, photos, and papers, converting them into high-quality PDFs or other formats. Edit, extract text with OCR, and create professional ID photos on the go.

Highlights
  • Scan documents, photos, and papers
  • Convert to PDF, Word, Excel, TXT, JPG
  • Extract text with OCR (20+ languages)
  • Edit PDFs: annotate, e-sign, merge
  • Create and edit ID photos
  • Remove handwriting from papers
  • Batch scanning
Read full description

Say goodbye to huge and heavy copy machines, and say hello to your mobile phone by using the powerful scanner app LightPDF Scanner. Simply take a photo of the file, and the app will automatically convert it into a high-quality PDF file. Easy and fast to create quality scans on the go. ------------------------- Key Features: Document Scanner: 1. Scan Files - Scan anything you need, books, papers, contracts, notes, photos... - Unique smart calibration technology helps to correct image distortion and cluttered background, ensuring quality scans. - Batch scanning lets you scan multiple documents into one single file, saving you from the hassle of combining them manually. 2. Scan IDs - ID Card & Passport mode is specifically designed for fast scans of ID photos, saving you a trip to the print shop. - ID info is 100% confidential, only visible to you. PDF Converter & Editor: 1. File Converter - This PDF scanner saves any of your scans as PDF, Word, Excel, TXT, and JPG. - The converted files retain the original layout of text, images and tables, ensuring a seamless transition. 2. PDF Editor - There is a variety of editing tools for further modifying: add, delete, merge, annotate, e-sign, and highlight. - The AI Retouch mode harness the power of AI to remove sensitive or private info from the file. 3. Text Recognition (OCR) - Extract text from PDFs and uneditable images swiftly, copy text with a single tap, or export it as a TXT file for editing the text. - Supports 20+ languages including Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, English, Japanese, Spanish, French, and more. ID Photo Assistant: 1. Taking ID Photos - The ID mode supports commonly-used ID sizes, including passports for US, UK, Japan, and Visa for US and EU. - Automatically remove backgrounds, and offer various colors, specifications, and filters for good-looking ID photos. 2. Fix Blurry Image - The new Unblur Image mode rescues you from blurred photos, improving image quality in a simple tap. Essential Learning Tools: 1. Erase Handwriting - Automatically removes handwritings from test papers, giving you a completely blank new paper. - Save you from the mistakes you made in your study. 2. Scan Books - Easily convert books, materials, notes into e-books. Access them on the go anytime, anywhere, making learning efficient and flexible. 3. Convert Handwriting To Text - Take photos of blackboard or whiteboard notes, the app automatically converts them into texts, helping you organize and backup your notes efficiently, saving time in taking note in the class. Quick Share & Send 1. Share the file in the format you need, PDF, JPG, TXT, etc. 2. Email scans as attachments. 3. Share with other by social media and messaging apps. 4. Print directly from our scanner app. ------------------------- Use Cases: 1. Students: Organize lecture notes, collect study materials, submit homework, collaborate in group studies and create ID photos. 2. Teachers: Archive assignments, prepare teaching materials, share educational content with students and their parents. 3. Office Use: Digitize paper contracts, meeting notes, and other imprtant documents for easy archiving, managment, and collaboration; sign document anywhere, and share project materials across departments. Subscription Service: 1. Periods: 1 Month, 1 Year, 3 Years. 2. Pricing: $4.99/month with a 3-Day Free Trial. Continuous subscription, cancel anytime. $9.99/year, continuous subscription, cance anytime. $19.99/3 years, one-time payment, non-renewing. 3. Subscription fees are charged directly from your account. 4. To cancel the auto-renewal, manually turn off the service in Apple ID Settings at least 24 hours before the subscription expires. 5. Terms of Service: https://lightpdf.com/lightpdf-scanner-terms 6. Privacy Policy: https://lightpdf.com/lightpdf-scanner-privacy We'd love to hear your feedback! Email us at support@lightpdf.com Follow us on Twitter: @LightPdf Follow us on Facebook: Lightpdf

Screenshots

Penman4 screens
LightPDF Scanner4 screens

Verdict

The call

Penman and LightPDF Scanner both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of LightPDF Scanner's written reviews are positive against 58% of Penman's. LightPDF Scanner also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). Penman's advantage is ratings volume (252 vs 14). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Penman sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and LightPDF Scanner sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Penman against 4.0 for LightPDF Scanner. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penman has 252 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Penman's written reviews are positive against 79% of LightPDF Scanner's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, LightPDF Scanner every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Penman versus LightPDF Scanner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenmanLightPDF Scanner
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (252 ratings) — better4.0 (14 ratings)
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews79.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings252 — better14
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.614.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSER_INTWangxu Technology Co., Ltd

Customer experience

Penman

All ratings252 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral4.4%
Negative17.9%
Written reviews78 reviews
Positive57.7%
Neutral3.8%
Negative38.5%

LightPDF Scanner

All ratings14 ratings
Positive78.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative21.4%
Written reviews39 reviews
Positive79.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.5%

Bugs and requests

Penman

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App crashes on launch or during use
  • Text disappears without user action
  • Transcription halts when device enters sleep mode
  • iCloud sync failures between devices
  • Notes deleted when free trial expires
Show 6 more
  • Highlighting loses color after copy-paste
  • Recording continues but doesn't transcribe after interruption
  • App force closes when deleting notes
  • Restore purchase button non-functional
  • Perpetual onboarding loop after trial signup
  • Transcription accuracy drops after initial sentences

Requested features

10 requests
  • Persistent highlighting tool color selection
  • Export to Markdown (.md) format
  • Custom photo book covers
  • More font options
  • Ability to keep handwritten notes without conversion
Show 5 more
  • Keep phone active during recording
  • Recently deleted folder for recovery
  • Standalone keyboard replacement
  • Unlimited recording time in free version
  • Auto-save and local backup system

LightPDF Scanner

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Penman

Subscriptions9
  • Monthly Discount Premium7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Monthly Penman Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • 3 Months Penman Premium3 Days trial$8.993 Months
Show 6 more
  • Annual Voice to Text Live$14.991 Year
  • Yearly Discount Premium$14.991 Year
  • 6 Months Penman Premium3 Days trial$16.996 Months
  • Yearly Voice to Text plan7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Yearly Speech to Text Live6 Months trial$19.991 Year
  • Yearly Speech Voice to Text7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • Unlimited Voice to Text$29.99
  • Unlimited Voice to Text$39.99
  • Unlimited Voice to Text$59.99
6 purchases

LightPDF Scanner

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Monthly Bundle Plan$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Bundle Plan$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annual Subscription$9.991 Year
One-time2
  • Apowersoft Scanner (3 Years)$19.99
  • 3-year Membership$19.99

Questions

Is Penman free?
Penman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LightPDF Scanner free?
LightPDF Scanner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Penman or LightPDF Scanner?
Penman is rated higher. Penman averages 4.1 out of 5 from 252 ratings, while LightPDF Scanner averages 4.0 from 14 ratings.
Do Penman or LightPDF Scanner have ads?
Neither Penman nor LightPDF Scanner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penman or LightPDF Scanner?
Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, and LightPDF Scanner every 11 days. Most recently, Penman was updated on October 26, 2026 and LightPDF Scanner on October 16, 2026.

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