Penned vs Authenticator °
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Penned
A minimalist handwriting app designed for privacy, keeping all your notes securely on your device. It features natural writing with Apple Pencil, on-device AI text recognition, and smart tagging for easy searching. Export your notes as PDFs in a clean, distraction-free interface.
- Natural Apple Pencil writing
- On-device AI text recognition
- 100% private, no cloud
- Export beautiful PDFs
- Smart tagging and search
- Distraction-free interface
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Your thoughts deserve privacy. Penned Notes is a minimalist handwriting app that keeps everything on your device. - Natural Apple Pencil writing - AI text recognition (on-device) - 100% private - zero cloud required - Export beautiful PDFs - Smart tagging & search - Clean, distraction-free interface Unlike other note apps, Penned Notes uses Apple's Neural Engine to recognize your handwriting locally and nothing leaves your device. No accounts, no tracking, no subscriptions to complex features you don't need. Perfect for: - Daily journaling - Class notes & studying - Meeting notes - Sketches & brainstorming - Sensitive work documents Privacy-first architecture means your notes stay truly yours. Download Penned Notes. Where your thoughts are penned, not surveilled.
Authenticator °
This app enhances your online security by generating time-sensitive passwords for two-factor and multi-factor authentication. It offers seamless data synchronization across devices, Apple Watch support, and robust encryption for your sensitive information.
- One-Time Passwords (OTP)
- Seamless Data Synchronization
- Apple Watch Support
- End-to-End Encryption
- Import/Export Encrypted Backups
- Auto-Lock & Biometric Authentication
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Cutting-edge security meets convenience: Authenticator° is the ultimate iOS app designed to make your digital life safer and hassle-free. Now supporting Apple Watch, we safeguard your accounts across Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Amazon, Facebook, Dropbox, and more, providing an unparalleled layer of protection. Key Features: • One-Time Passwords (OTP) – Boost your account security with two-factor or multi-factor authentication, using unique, time-sensitive passwords generated on-demand. • Seamless Data Synchronization – Sync your authentication data across multiple devices effortlessly, ensuring you have access to your accounts whenever you need them. • Apple Watch Support – Your one-time passwords are now a glance away. Enjoy seamless integration with your Apple Watch for quick, convenient authentication. • End-to-End Encryption – Enjoy peace of mind knowing your sensitive information is protected with the highest level of encryption, keeping your data secure from prying eyes. • Import/Export Encrypted Backups – Create private, encrypted backups of your data and effortlessly import or export them to ensure your information is always safe and accessible. • Auto-Lock & Biometric Authentication – Tailor the auto-lock time to your needs and use Touch ID or Face ID for seamless access to your accounts without compromising security. • No Account Required – There's no need to create a separate account for Authenticator°. Simply sign in with your Apple ID for data syncing and iCloud backups or opt for "device only" mode to keep your data exclusively on your device. With Authenticator°, you'll never have to worry about the security of your online accounts again. Take control of your digital life and keep your information safe from hackers and identity thieves with the ultimate authentication app. Download Authenticator° today and experience a new level of online security and convenience. Authenticator° subscription: Authenticator° Premium unlocks features like Data Sync Across Devices, End-to-End Data Encryption, Unlimited Tokens, and Encrypted File Export/Import. Available plan pricing is shown in the app before purchase. Payment will be charged to your App Store account at confirmation of purchase, and subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renewal in your account settings after purchase. See the instructions here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202039 You can read the terms of use and privacy policy here: https://kapi90.github.io/authenticator_privacy_policy.html End User License Agreement (EULA) of the App Store applies: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Authenticator ° at Free against Penned's $4.99. Authenticator ° also leads on review sentiment (77% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Penned's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 14). On ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Authenticator ° is free to download; Penned costs $4.99 up front. Authenticator ° sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Penned asks for nothing beyond the download.
Authenticator ° holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Authenticator ° has 594 ratings behind it against 87, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Penned's written reviews are positive against 77% of Authenticator °'s.
Penned ships an update every 2 months, Authenticator ° every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Penned | Authenticator ° |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (87 ratings) | 4.8 (594 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 76.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 87 | 594 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Freemium — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 55 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Edwing H Santos Mena | Bence Kaposzta |
Customer experience
Penned
Authenticator °
Bugs and requests
Penned
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Authenticator °
Reported bugs
3 issues- List of saved sites/accounts disappearing
- Trouble logging in or resetting password
- Incompatibility with older devices
Requested features
4 requests- Allow renaming of accounts
- Add pop-up notifications like other authenticators
- Improve sync with desktop/laptop
- Provide more theme/customization options
In-app purchases
Penned
No in-app purchases
Authenticator °
- Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Monthly$9.991 Month
- Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
Show 8 moreShow fewer
- 3 Month$12.993 Months
- 1 Year, 50% off$19.991 Year
- 1 Year Discounted$22.991 Year
- 1 Year, 30% off$27.991 Year
- 1 Year with initial offer1 Month trial$34.991 Year
- Annual subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- 1 Year$39.991 Year
- 1 Year3 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Free Lifetime subscriptionFree
- Lifetime, intro offer$0.29
- Lifetime$59.99
Questions
Is Penned free?
Is Authenticator ° free?
Which has better reviews, Penned or Authenticator °?
Do Penned or Authenticator ° have ads?
Which is updated more often, Penned or Authenticator °?
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