# DDiary Pro vs Pencil Planner

The clearest difference is monetization model: Pencil Planner at freemium against DDiary Pro's subscription. Pencil Planner also leads on rating (4.6 vs 4.2). DDiary Pro's advantage is ratings volume (45 vs 12). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. DDiary Pro sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month and Pencil Planner sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pencil Planner holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of DDiary Pro's written reviews are positive against 84% of Pencil Planner's.

DDiary Pro ships an update every 10 days, Pencil Planner every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DDiary Pro | Pencil Planner |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ddiary-pro-handwritten-diary/id1530167434/reviews) | **[4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-planner-stift/id1661094074/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **45** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | **84.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 62 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hanung Lee](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529046015) | [TNX Apps UG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1270694783) |

## What reviewers say

### DDiary Pro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ddiary-pro-handwritten-diary/id1530167434)

This app allows users to create personalized digital diaries using handwritten notes, drawings, and various creative tools. Organize entries with hashtags, secure them with biometrics, and customize themes and fonts. Syncs with Apple Calendar and backs up to iCloud.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes and drawings, Customizable themes and fonts, Hashtag organization, Biometric security (Touch ID/Face ID), iCloud backup and sync, Apple Calendar integration, Custom template and sticker creation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| DDiary Pro - Monthly | $3.49 | per month |
| DDiary Pro - Yealry | $20.49 | per year |


### Pencil Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-planner-stift/id1661094074)

This app allows users to visually plan their schedules by drawing appointments directly onto a calendar. It offers an intuitive, pen-on-paper experience for effortless scheduling, making it ideal for families and couples to coordinate activities and boost overall productivity.

**Highlights:** Draw appointments directly on calendar, Intuitive pen-on-paper planning, Visual family planner, Couple calendar for shared planning, Boost productivity and organization, Supports iPad stylus input

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quarterly Pro | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly Pro | $7.99 | per year |
| Pro | $12.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DDiary Pro free?

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

### Is Pencil Planner free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DDiary Pro or Pencil Planner?

Pencil Planner is rated higher. DDiary Pro averages 4.2 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Pencil Planner averages 4.6 from 12 ratings.

### Do DDiary Pro or Pencil Planner have ads?

Neither DDiary Pro nor Pencil Planner shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DDiary Pro or Pencil Planner?

DDiary Pro ships an update every 10 days, and Pencil Planner every 3 weeks. Most recently, DDiary Pro was updated on November 7, 2026 and Pencil Planner on November 3, 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.*