# PenCalendar vs Digital Planner for iPad

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Digital Planner for iPad at 44% against PenCalendar's 0%. Digital Planner for iPad also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 months). PenCalendar's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Digital Planner for iPad sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. PenCalendar asks for nothing beyond the download.

Digital Planner for iPad holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Digital Planner for iPad has 2.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of PenCalendar's written reviews are positive against 44% of Digital Planner for iPad's.

PenCalendar ships an update every 2 months, Digital Planner for iPad every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PenCalendar | Digital Planner for iPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencalendar/id1447750480/reviews) | **[4.3 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-planner-for-ipad/id6444685151/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **44.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 13 MB | 225 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bitgut GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447750479) | [Alina Shpak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1656104667) |

## What reviewers say

### PenCalendar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencalendar/id1447750480)

This app offers a digital handwriting experience for daily planning and journaling, mimicking the feel of writing on paper. It requires an Apple Pencil for input and provides features like various pen colors and export options.

**Highlights:** Real handwriting experience with Apple Pencil, Finger writing not supported, Multiple pen colors, Export pages via email or to printer, Customizable day colors, Local data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Digital Planner for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-planner-for-ipad/id6444685151)

Organize your life with a digital planner that mimics a classic paper notebook. Write naturally with Apple Pencil, manage tasks, events, and notes across your Apple devices. Offers flexible planning views and calendar syncing.

**Highlights:** Hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly planning, Natural handwriting with Apple Pencil, Syncs with Apple, Google, and Outlook Calendars, Create and manage tasks and notes, Import and annotate PDFs, Customizable templates

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Planner (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Digital Planner (Three month) | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Digital Planner (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with calendar
- 📝 Intuitive and easy to use
- ✨ Visually appealing design
- 🖋️ Great for handwritten notes
- 📚 Helpful book tracking feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🔒 Difficulty canceling subscription
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🗓️ Sync issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Lasso tool issues with cut and paste
- Disappearing text when writing over stickers
- Inconsistent calendar sync
- Eraser leaving jumbled pieces
- Inability to rearrange pages

**Requested features**

- Ability to delete individual pages
- Improved eraser functionality
- Sync with Outlook calendar
- Monthly and yearly view improvements
- Widgets for quick access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PenCalendar free?

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

### Is Digital Planner for iPad free?

Digital Planner for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, PenCalendar or Digital Planner for iPad?

Digital Planner for iPad is rated higher. PenCalendar averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Digital Planner for iPad averages 4.3 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do PenCalendar or Digital Planner for iPad have ads?

Neither PenCalendar nor Digital Planner for iPad shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PenCalendar or Digital Planner for iPad?

PenCalendar ships an update every 2 months, and Digital Planner for iPad every 6 days. Most recently, PenCalendar was updated on November 2, 2026 and Digital Planner for iPad on November 7, 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.*