# Reader's Bench vs Pencil

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Reader's Bench at 100% against Pencil's 25%. Reader's Bench also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). Pencil's advantage is rating (4.0 vs 3.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Reader's Bench sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Pencil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pencil holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 4 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Reader's Bench's written reviews are positive against 25% of Pencil's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Reader's Bench ships an update every 6 days, Pencil weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Reader's Bench | Pencil |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readers-bench/id1671846175/reviews) | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 10 MB | 511 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rohmiapps Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/982578674) | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) |

## What reviewers say

### Reader's Bench

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/readers-bench/id1671846175)

This app is a PDF reader and markup tool designed for serious study and research. It allows users to read, annotate, take notes, and review highlighted content from PDF documents with efficient performance and a distraction-free interface.

**Highlights:** PDF reading and markup, Handwriting and typed notes, Annotation extraction for review, Highlight, underline, strikethrough, Image capture and insertion, Export notes and annotated PDFs, Word definition and sentence translation

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Reader's Bench Subscription | $0.99 | per month |
| Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $17.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |


### Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421)

This app allows users to handwrite, sketch, and annotate PDFs on their iPad and iPhone. It supports Apple Pencil and other styluses for note-taking, drawing, and even watercolor painting. Features include audio recording within notes and AI assistance for summarizing and translation.

**Highlights:** Handwrite and sketch with stylus or finger, Annotate and mark up PDFs, Record audio directly in notes, Create formatted text notes, Watercolor painting workspace, Scan and import documents, AI assistance for summaries and translation

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlock All and AI Assistant | $3.99 | per month |
| Pencil Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Pencil Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Reader's Bench free?

Reader's Bench is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pencil free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Reader's Bench or Pencil?

Pencil is rated higher. Reader's Bench averages 3.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Pencil averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Reader's Bench or Pencil have ads?

Reader's Bench shows ads; Pencil does not.

### Which is updated more often, Reader's Bench or Pencil?

Reader's Bench ships an update every 6 days, and Pencil weekly. Most recently, Reader's Bench was updated on October 25, 2026 and Pencil on October 30, 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.*