Comparison

Penman vs SpeechNotes ·

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

SpeechNotes ·

Effortlessly convert spoken words into text for notes and recordings. This app also offers text-to-speech functionality and customizable themes for a personalized experience. Enhance your productivity with its advanced voice-to-text capabilities.

Highlights
  • Voice-to-text transcription
  • Text-to-speech playback
  • Customizable themes
  • Dark mode
  • Note-taking
Features
Read full description

**AI Voice Notes & Transcription** Capture ideas, meetings, lectures, interviews, and conversations with ease. Simply speak naturally and let AI instantly convert your voice into accurate text. **AI Summaries & Smart Notes** Transform lengthy recordings into concise summaries, key takeaways, action items, and organized notes in seconds. Spend less time reviewing and more time getting things done. **AI Writing Assistant** Enhance every note with powerful AI tools. Improve grammar, refine tone, reformat content, generate summaries, and make your notes clearer and more professional. **Fast Voice-to-Text** Record and transcribe conversations, lectures, meetings, brainstorming sessions, and personal thoughts with reliable, real-time speech recognition. **Text-to-Speech** Listen to your notes, documents, and written content read aloud. Perfect for reviewing information on the go or improving accessibility. **Personalized Themes** Customize your workspace with beautiful themes designed to inspire creativity, improve focus, and make note-taking more enjoyable. **Dark Mode** Reduce eye strain and stay productive day or night with a comfortable, eye-friendly dark mode experience. ### Work Smarter with AI Whether you're a student, professional, creator, journalist, researcher, or everyday note-taker, SpeechNotes helps you capture ideas faster, stay organized, and turn conversations into actionable insights. Start for free with our basic plan, or unlock premium features to access advanced AI tools, enhanced productivity features, and an even more powerful note-taking experience. Need help or have suggestions? We'd love to hear from you. Contact us at **[consult-ruku@outlook.com](mailto:consult-ruku@outlook.com)** and help shape the future of SpeechNotes. Privacy Policy: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AhRnecRbTCfCdSIfU3qV06c9Mk4?e=Z13ZNH Subscription Notice: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AhRnecRbTCfCea0FwhIWodb9fYA?e=61B1Fv Terms of usage: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AhRnecRbTCfCa5XH2RaXt-e3x5o?e=jBqrnY

Screenshots

Penman4 screens
SpeechNotes ·4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Penman at 58% against SpeechNotes ·'s 29%. SpeechNotes ·'s advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On price, ratings volume, 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 SpeechNotes · sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SpeechNotes · holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 252 and 125 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Penman's written reviews are positive against 29% of SpeechNotes ·'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, SpeechNotes · fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Penman versus SpeechNotes ·: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenmanSpeechNotes ·
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (252 ratings)4.4 (125 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews — better28.6% of reviews
Number of ratings252 — better125
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSER_INTFarwa Shahid

Customer experience

Penman

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

SpeechNotes ·

All ratings125 ratings
Positive83.2%
Neutral3.2%
Negative13.6%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative71.4%

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

SpeechNotes ·

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
8 purchases

SpeechNotes ·

Subscriptions8
  • Good Notes Weekly Subscription3 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Monthly Offer$4.991 Month
  • Weekly$5.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • NoteBook Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Monthly Transcribe3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Offer$14.991 Year
  • Notepad Yearly1 Month trial$34.991 Year
  • Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Penman free?
Penman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SpeechNotes · free?
SpeechNotes · is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Penman or SpeechNotes ·?
SpeechNotes · is rated higher. Penman averages 4.1 out of 5 from 252 ratings, while SpeechNotes · averages 4.4 from 125 ratings.
Do Penman or SpeechNotes · have ads?
Neither Penman nor SpeechNotes · shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penman or SpeechNotes ·?
Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, and SpeechNotes · fortnightly. Most recently, Penman was updated on October 23, 2026 and SpeechNotes · on October 24, 2026.

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