Comparison

Penman vs Voice Memos Speechify

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

Voice Memos Speechify

This app uses AI to convert voice recordings into accurate text notes. It offers features like automatic summarization and natural-sounding playback, helping users organize ideas and save time on note-taking.

Highlights
  • AI-powered voice to text transcription
  • Automatic note summarization
  • Natural speech playback of notes
  • Organize ideas and action items
  • Edit and share text transcripts
  • Generate meeting notes
Features
Read full description

Voice Memos Speechify transforms the way you capture and organize spoken information. Whether it’s a quick idea, a full lecture, or an important client call, our AI-powered tools turn your recordings into accurate, structured text in seconds. Record voice memos anywhere and instantly convert them into clear, readable notes. The built-in AI note taker processes your speech with precision, delivering complete transcripts that are easy to edit and share. Keep track of action items, decisions, and insights with minimal effort. Enhance your workflow with the AI voice generator to play back notes in natural speech. Use Minutes AI for automatic summaries that save time and highlight the most important details. For projects, meetings, and study sessions, note taking AI organizes your ideas for quick reference. Generate professional meeting notes without typing, and rely on summary AI note taker features to capture the essence of every conversation. From entrepreneurs to students, this is the fastest way to stay on top of your ideas, discussions, and tasks. Stay organized, save time, and make every word count. Download Voice Memos Speechify and let AI work for you. Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/speechl-privacy-policies/home Terms of use https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Penman4 screens
Voice Memos Speechify4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Penman at 58% against Voice Memos Speechify's 0%. Penman also leads on ratings volume (252 vs 25). Voice Memos Speechify's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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 Voice Memos Speechify sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Voice Memos Speechify holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penman has 252 ratings behind it against 25, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of Penman's written reviews are positive against 0% of Voice Memos Speechify'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, Voice Memos Speechify fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Penman versus Voice Memos Speechify: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenmanVoice Memos Speechify
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (252 ratings)4.4 (25 ratings) — better
Positive reviews57.7% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings252 — better25
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, MaciPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size104 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSER_INTYounes Oubari

Customer experience

Penman

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

Voice Memos Speechify

All ratings25 ratings
Positive84.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

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

Voice Memos Speechify

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
4 purchases

Voice Memos Speechify

Subscriptions2
  • Unlock all features$14.991 Month
  • All features$59.991 Year
One-time2
  • One hour audio transcription$4.99
  • 10 hours audio transcription$29.99

Questions

Is Penman free?
Penman is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Voice Memos Speechify free?
Voice Memos Speechify is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Penman or Voice Memos Speechify?
Voice Memos Speechify is rated higher. Penman averages 4.1 out of 5 from 252 ratings, while Voice Memos Speechify averages 4.4 from 25 ratings.
Do Penman or Voice Memos Speechify have ads?
Neither Penman nor Voice Memos Speechify shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Penman or Voice Memos Speechify?
Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, and Voice Memos Speechify fortnightly. Most recently, Penman was updated on October 26, 2026 and Voice Memos Speechify on October 24, 2026.

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