# Penman vs SUM NUM

The clearest difference is rating: SUM NUM at 5.0 against Penman's 4.1. SUM NUM also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 12) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). Penman's advantage is ratings volume (252 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penman sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SUM NUM asks for nothing beyond the download.

SUM NUM holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penman has 252 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, SUM NUM monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penman | SUM NUM |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (252 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penman-ai-note-taker/id1434184098/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sum-num/id6755496124/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **252** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 57.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 104 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SER_INT](https://appshunter.io/developer/525443615) | [Subway de Guatemala SA](https://appshunter.io/developer/1264179918) |

## What reviewers say

### Penman

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penman-ai-note-taker/id1434184098)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Discount Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Penman Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| 3 Months Penman Premium | $8.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Voice to Text Live | $14.99 | per year |
| Yearly Discount Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| 6 Months Penman Premium | $16.99 | per 6 months |
| Yearly Voice to Text plan | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Speech to Text Live | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Speech Voice to Text | $29.99 | per year |
| Unlimited Voice to Text | $29.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Voice to Text | $39.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Voice to Text | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate speech-to-text transcription
- ⚡ Fast and efficient note-taking
- 🎨 Beautiful, intuitive UI design
- 🌍 Supports multiple languages
- 📱 Easy text export to various formats

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing
- 💾 Data loss and disappearing text issues
- 🔄 Unreliable syncing across devices
- ⏸️ Recording stops when phone sleeps
- ❌ Inconsistent speech-to-text accuracy

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- Persistent highlighting tool color selection
- Export to Markdown (.md) format
- Custom photo book covers
- More font options
- Ability to keep handwritten notes without conversion


### SUM NUM

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sum-num/id6755496124)

This app helps manage inventory, convert measurements, and perform financial calculations for business operations. It features a calculator with history, a comprehensive unit converter, and advanced financial tools like interest and amortization calculations.

**Highlights:** Calculator with history, Unit converter for mass, volume, length, temperature, Financial calculator (interest, TVM, amortization), Save and reuse calculation results, Export financial results to PDF

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penman free?

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

### Is SUM NUM free?

SUM NUM is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Penman or SUM NUM?

SUM NUM is rated higher. Penman averages 4.1 out of 5 from 252 ratings, while SUM NUM averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Penman or SUM NUM have ads?

Neither Penman nor SUM NUM shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penman or SUM NUM?

Penman ships an update every 2 weeks, and SUM NUM monthly. Most recently, Penman was updated on October 19, 2026 and SUM NUM on October 17, 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.*