# Penbook vs SuperNotes Note Taking App

The clearest difference is monetization model: Penbook at free with in-app purchases against SuperNotes Note Taking App's subscription. Penbook also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (45K vs 614). SuperNotes Note Taking App's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.1). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and SuperNotes Note Taking App sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SuperNotes Note Taking App holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penbook has 45K ratings behind it against 614, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Penbook's written reviews are positive against 41% of SuperNotes Note Taking App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Penbook ships an update every 5 days, SuperNotes Note Taking App every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penbook | SuperNotes Note Taking App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (45K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295/reviews) | **[4.7 (614 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supernotes-note-taking-app/id1623606778/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **45K** | 614 |
| Positive reviews | **57.4% of reviews** | 41.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 136 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) | [Rocket Apps GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566586717) |

## What reviewers say

### Penbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295)

Create custom digital notebooks with a vast library of stationery or import your own PDFs for annotation. Write naturally with a stylus and organize your notes with dynamic features like live planners and searchable handwriting.

**Highlights:** Live Paper dynamic stationery, Over 400 stationery types, Import and annotate PDFs, Natural handwriting with stylus, Searchable handwritten notes, Shape recognition, Customizable notebook covers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penbook Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Penbook Premium | $7.99 | per month |
| Penbook Premium | $14.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Penbook Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Lifetime (Loyalty) | $29.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $59.99 | one-time |
| Penbook Premium Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 🎨 Variety of customization options for notebooks
- 📝 Smooth writing experience with Apple Pencil
- 🗓️ Useful calendar integration
- 💡 Innovative features like washi tape and stickers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔒 Lack of password protection or locking feature
- 🔧 Glitchy zooming and ruler functionality
- 🧭 Poor notebook and page management
- 💰 Restrictive free version, expensive subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Sticker resizing issues causing app freezes
- Ruler placement and alignment problems
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between pages
- Calendar sync not working as expected
- PDF import and annotation functionality not reliable

**Requested features**

- Allow custom notebook covers or images
- Add text box and typing capabilities
- Improve organization with folders or tags
- Provide more customization options for templates
- Implement a more intuitive undo/redo system


### SuperNotes Note Taking App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/supernotes-note-taking-app/id1623606778)

Transform your device into a digital notebook for handwritten notes and PDF annotation. Utilize Apple Pencil for drawing, sketching, and adding various objects. Organize and share your work seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Handwritten note-taking, PDF import and annotation, Apple Pencil support, Drawing and sketching tools, Layers for object management, Template library, iCloud sync

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Rocket Apps Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| Rocket Apps PRO Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Rocket Apps PRO Yearly | $19.99 | per year |
| Rocket Apps Membership | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Great for taking notes
- 👍 Useful for drawing and adding pictures
- 👍 Helpful for school and college

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitches and crashes
- 🐛 Notes randomly deleting
- 💰 Requires payment for more features
- 🚫 Account required to use app

**Reported bugs**

- Lag when using Apple Pencil
- Notes disappearing after closing the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to view multiple notes at once
- Option to minimize pen sidebar
- Improved PDF annotation performance


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penbook free?

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

### Is SuperNotes Note Taking App free?

SuperNotes Note Taking App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Penbook or SuperNotes Note Taking App?

SuperNotes Note Taking App is rated higher. Penbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 45K ratings, while SuperNotes Note Taking App averages 4.7 from 614 ratings.

### Do Penbook or SuperNotes Note Taking App have ads?

SuperNotes Note Taking App shows ads; Penbook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Penbook or SuperNotes Note Taking App?

Penbook ships an update every 5 days, and SuperNotes Note Taking App every 10 days. Most recently, Penbook was updated on September 25, 2026 and SuperNotes Note Taking App on September 22, 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.*