# Penbook vs HandyWrite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HandyWrite at none against Penbook's 22. Penbook's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. HandyWrite asks for nothing beyond the download.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penbook | HandyWrite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (46K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penbook-paper-planner-and-notes/id1473064295/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **46K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 58.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | — |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 142 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) | [俊柯 吴](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618672666) |

## 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


### HandyWrite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handywrite-cute-notepad/id6757833998)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penbook free?

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

### Is HandyWrite free?

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

### Do Penbook or HandyWrite have ads?

HandyWrite shows ads; Penbook does not.

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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.*