Comparison

Penman vs Vemo

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

Vemo

This AI-powered tool automatically transcribes and summarizes your work meetings, extracting key action items and decisions. It allows for easy editing, sharing, and querying of meeting content, ensuring you never miss important details and can focus on the conversation.

Highlights
  • AI-powered note taking
  • Automatic action item extraction
  • Magic edit for note adjustments
  • Effortless sharing of notes
  • Ask questions about meeting content
  • Visual mind map generation
  • Flawless, synced transcription
Features
Read full description

Vemo is an AI note taker for work meetings, capturing every detail so you can focus on the conversation instead of scribbling. It ensures effortless recall, creates action items to keep you on track, and eliminates the hassle of manual notes—for you and your team. EXCEPTIONAL NOTES Vemo captures detailed, business-ready notes so you can engage in the conversation instead of scribbling. ACTION ITEMS No more post-meeting stagnation. Vemo extracts action items from every discussion and builds a to-do list to keep you moving forward. MAGIC EDIT Missed something? Just talk to Vemo. Add, remove, or tweak sections of your notes with ease—it’s almost unbelievable until you try it. EFFORTLESS SHARING Impress your team, boss, or clients by sharing polished notes in seconds. If note-taking is your job, Vemo will make you shine. ASK ANYTHING Vemo’s full AI power lets you voice any question about your meeting—like key decisions or details—anytime. MIND MAP See the big picture with a visual mind map, perfect for grasping structure and retaining info. FLAWLESS TRANSCRIPTS Crystal-clear transcription handles accents and poor audio effortlessly, with synced playback for review. GLOBAL LANGUAGE SUPPORT Vemo takes notes in any language—anywhere in the world. PERFECT FOR • Web & in-person meetings • Impromptu chats • Boardroom sessions • Brainstorms • People with ADHD • Anyone who hates note-taking Got questions? Email us at support@vemo.ai or visit vemo.ai for more info. Download Vemo now and make manual note taking a thing of the past! EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

Screenshots

Penman4 screens
Vemo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Vemo at 4.6 against Penman's 4.1. On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Vemo sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Vemo holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 252 and 102 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 58% and 58% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, Vemo every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Penman versus Vemo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenmanVemo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (252 ratings)4.6 (102 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews58.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings252 — better102
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSER_INTSavings LLC

Customer experience

Penman

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

Vemo

All ratings101 ratings
Positive89.1%
Neutral3.0%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative33.3%

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

Vemo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Penman

Subscriptions7
  • Monthly Discount Premium7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Monthly Penman Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Yearly Discount Premium$14.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • 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
2 purchases

Vemo

Subscriptions2
  • Pro$9.991 Month
  • Pro$83.901 Year

Questions

Is Penman free?
Penman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Vemo free?
Vemo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Penman or Vemo?
Vemo is rated higher. Penman averages 4.1 out of 5 from 252 ratings, while Vemo averages 4.6 from 102 ratings.
Do Penman or Vemo have ads?
Neither Penman nor Vemo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penman or Vemo?
Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, and Vemo every 4 weeks. Most recently, Penman was updated on November 2, 2026 and Vemo on November 3, 2026.

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