# Penbook vs LoadProofLite

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: LoadProofLite at none against Penbook's 22. LoadProofLite also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 18.1). On price, update cadence, ads 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. LoadProofLite asks for nothing beyond the download.

Penbook ships an update every 5 days, LoadProofLite weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penbook | LoadProofLite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 142 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pencil Research](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473063859) | [Smart Gladiator](https://appshunter.io/developer/684219949) |

## 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


### LoadProofLite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/loadprooflite/id6758734163)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penbook free?

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

### Is LoadProofLite free?

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

### Do Penbook or LoadProofLite have ads?

Neither Penbook nor LoadProofLite shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penbook or LoadProofLite?

Penbook ships an update every 5 days, and LoadProofLite weekly. Most recently, Penbook was updated on October 21, 2026 and LoadProofLite on October 14, 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.*