# Pennylane vs Lydia

The clearest difference is rating: Lydia at 5.0 against Pennylane's 4.6. Pennylane's advantage is ratings volume (35 vs 6). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Lydia holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pennylane has 35 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Pennylane's written reviews are positive against 60% of Lydia's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on October 19, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pennylane | Lydia |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pennylane/id1574490312/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lydia/id6475691727/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **35** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 151 MB | 235 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pennylane](https://appshunter.io/developer/1574490314) | [LYDIA Solutions](https://appshunter.io/developer/495706608) |

## What reviewers say

### Pennylane

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pennylane/id1574490312)

Manage your business finances, accounting, and banking in one integrated platform. Streamline invoicing, track expenses, analyze performance, and collaborate with your accountant.

**Highlights:** Integrated business account, Purchase and sales management, Performance analysis, Invoice management, Collaboration with accountants, Over 300 integrations

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Lydia

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lydia/id6475691727)

Easily send and receive money with just a phone number. Create shared money pots to collect funds quickly. This free service offers a simple alternative to traditional banking methods, prioritizing security and user privacy.

**Highlights:** Send and receive money via phone number, Create shareable money pots, Simple and handy interface, Secure banking standards, GDPR compliant

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pennylane free?

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

### Is Lydia free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pennylane or Lydia?

Lydia is rated higher. Pennylane averages 4.6 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Lydia averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Pennylane or Lydia have ads?

Neither Pennylane nor Lydia shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pennylane or Lydia?

Pennylane ships an update weekly, and Lydia weekly. Most recently, Pennylane was updated on October 19, 2026 and Lydia on October 19, 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.*