Comparison

Save2PDF vs Penbook

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Save2PDF

Easily create professional PDFs directly on your iPad from various file formats like Word, Excel, Photos, and web pages. Merge multiple documents or select specific pages to build custom PDFs. Seamlessly integrate with other apps for quick conversion.

Highlights
  • Convert Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Photos, Web Pages, and more to PDF
  • Merge multiple files into a single PDF
  • Select specific pages from files for new PDFs
  • Import files from other apps via 'Open in...'
  • Email and print PDFs directly from the app
  • Supports iCloud integration
Features
Read full description

Create professional, great looking PDFs simply and easily right on your iPad without having to go near a computer! Save2PDF will convert most file formats into a PDF including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Photos, Web Pages, Contacts and many more formats. What the Press Say: Macworld: "Save2PDF is a superb app that provides a fairly unique function" iAppSin: "Save2PDF is a practical app dedicated to converting and merging PDF files" iPad.net: "It is definitely a must-have app for professionals who use their iPad for business purposes" TouchMyApps: "There’s currently nothing like it at the App Store and iDevice users who’ve always wanted to create their own PDF files should definitely check it out." Save2PDF also enables easy merging of several documents into a single PDF, even if the files are completely different formats (i.e. create a single PDF by combining a document with a spreadsheet, or a Pages document with a Word file). It is also just as easy to merge multiple PDFs into a single PDF file. One of the other powerful features of Save2PDF is the ability to select a few pages from a file (i.e. a document or PDF) and a few from one or multiple other files - creating a new PDF containing only the pages required from those files. The PDF creation, arrangement and preview screen is intuitive and easy to use. Rearranging document order, selecting page ranges and adding further documents is all contained within one single area; there is no complicated file structure or hierarchy to learn! Save2PDF can easily be used in conjunction with other apps like Pages, Numbers or Keynote, simply use Open in.....Save2PDF to transfer any file from another app and convert it into a PDF - all done in only 2 steps! Providing the other app supports Open in... file sharing, transferring documents into Save2PDF is easy. FULL PDF CONVERTER • Convert common file formats into a PDF right on your iPad without using a computer • View/Convert/Merge Microsoft Office files, iWork files, Photos, PDFs, Contacts, Web Pages, Email attachments as well as many more file formats • Create a single PDF from multiple files even if they are a different format (i.e. merge a Word file with a Pages document etc) • Email and print finished PDF directly from within Save2PDF MERGE or APPEND PDF FILES • Merge multiple PDF files together • Add a page to an existing PDF file (i.e. a cover letter or fax cover) • Quickly and easily add further appendices to an existing PDF document CREATE PDFs FROM OTHER APPS • Import files from other apps using the Open in... file sharing to transfer into Save2PDF & convert into a PDF • Works with any app that has the Open in file Sharing built in (i.e. Mail attachments, Pages, Numbers or Keynote & many more) • Transfer documents and files from a computer into Save2PDF either via iTunes or by mounting the iPad as a disk or using the free file transfer software, WePrint FULL CLOUD SERVICES SUPPORT • Fully integrated with iCloud, CloudMe, Dropbox, GoogleDocs, Box.net, WebDAV • Convert documents & files in the cloud to PDF without downloading them first • Move or Print documents on your iPad from your Cloud account FULLY FUNCTIONAL PRINTING • Print to ALL printers (Network/WiFi/USB/Bluetooth) via your Mac or PC or direct to most WiFi printers without additional software. Also print to Apple AirPrint printers • Print from Pages, Numbers or Keynote extremely quickly & easily without the need for an AirPrint printer using Open in • USB & Bluetooth printers can be used with free print server software (Windows & Mac) • Print remotely via 3G/4G/EDGE WEB PAGE PRINTING • Browse and print web pages to ALL printers • Convert web pages to PDF documents for sharing • Store passwords and clear history/cache • Multiple tabs for splitting up browsing QUICK HELP - if you need it

About

Penbook

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
Read full description

Write naturally with your Apple Pencil on Live Paper with Penbook. Build your perfect notebook from more than four hundred types of stationery. Then, use the best digital inking technology to pour your ideas, notes, plans, and dreams into it. Penbook's Live Paper is way smarter than ordinary stationery. Schedule your life on a monthly planner that shows a real calendar, organize your day with a day planner that shows you what time it is, and record your nutrition on a food diary that knows what day it is. Or, bring your own stationery! Import your PDFs into Penbook for quick annotation and editing. Give your notebooks colorful covers with fun art, and share them so your notes are always where you need them. FEATURES • Live Paper, the dynamic stationery that uses the smarts of your iPad and iPhone • Over 400 of academic, scientific, and planning stationeries • Import PDFs and use them as notebooks • Write naturally with your Apple Pencil, stylus, or finger • Unlimited unique cover combinations for your notes • Search your handwritten notes for words or phrases • Snap your strokes to perfect shapes with shape recognition INCLUDED STATIONERIES Penbook has a huge selection of customizable stationery. Each page of your notebook can be different, turning your iPad or iPhone into a magic notebook: • Blank stationery, with an optional date and configurable margin • Ruled paper with variable density • Graph paper with four options for square sizes • Dot stationery, either squared or isometric (offset) • Cross stationery with configurable margins and density • To Do pages with four layout options • Monthly habit paper for tracking streaks, habits, and goals • Day planner paper with a live updating timeline and calendar, and three layouts • Weekly planner paper that highlights the current time and date • Monthly planner paper that keeps track of the current day and shows you what's coming next • Yearly stationery for getting a complete overview of your next 365 days • Cornell paper for taking perfect study notes • French ruled (Séyès) paper • Penmanship practice paper • Table stationery for hand-written spreadsheets • Polar graph paper for plotting radial data • Semi-log and loglog paper for data with exponential growth or decay • Isometric stationery with equilateral (60-60-60) or isosceles (75-75-30) triangles • Perspective paper, configurable with one, two, or three vanishing points • Developer stationery with device stencils and configurable note-taking areas • Storyboard paper with 3 frame aspect ratios • Engineering paper with variable density • Chemistry paper for easily sketching molecules • Staff and tablature (music) paper with optional linked staves GET THE MOST OUT OF PENBOOK Use all of Penbook's stationery and writing features in a single notebook for free for as long as you like. Upgrade to Penbook Premium to create and export unlimited notebooks, receive access to new stationery and covers as they're designed, and get regular app updates. Penbook Premium is available by purchasing a yearly subscription or a one-time (lifetime) in-app purchase. When you choose to upgrade with the yearly subscription, you can start using Penbook Premium for free with a 7-day free trial. During the trial, cancel any time until 24 hours before the trial expires, and you will not be charged. If you do not cancel, you will be automatically billed for the yearly subscription when your free trial ends. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage and cancel your subscriptions by going to your account settings on the App Store after purchase. Our customer-first privacy policy: https://penbook.app/privacy-policy Penbook's terms of use: https://penbook.app/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Penbook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Penbook at Free against Save2PDF's $4.99. Penbook also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (46K vs 66). Save2PDF's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 22) and review sentiment (68% vs 58%). On ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Penbook is free to download; Save2PDF costs $4.99 up front. Penbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Save2PDF asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Penbook holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penbook has 46K ratings behind it against 66, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Save2PDF's written reviews are positive against 58% of Penbook's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Save2PDF ships an update every 4 months, Penbook every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Save2PDF versus Penbook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSave2PDFPenbook
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (66 ratings)4.5 (46K ratings) — better
Positive reviews67.7% of reviews — better57.8% of reviews
Number of ratings6646K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.1
Further details — not scored
Size49 MB143 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperEuroSmartz LtdPencil Research

Customer experience

Save2PDF

All ratings64 ratings
Positive81.3%
Neutral4.7%
Negative14.1%
Written reviews502 reviews
Positive67.7%
Neutral5.4%
Negative26.9%

Penbook

All ratings45,717 ratings
Positive88.4%
Neutral4.7%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews631 reviews
Positive57.8%
Neutral13.0%
Negative29.2%

User reviews

Save2PDF

From 66 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Efficient PDF conversion
  • 👍 Customizable PDF settings
  • 💡 Useful for work and personal use
  • 🔒 Secure file handling
  • 🌐 Integrates with cloud storage

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🤔 Unintuitive user interface
  • 🔄 Formatting issues with some file types
  • 🕰️ Slow performance at times
  • 🔒 Concerns about security and privacy

Penbook

From 46K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Bugs and requests

Save2PDF

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Compatibility issues with iOS updates
  • Memory errors and data loss
  • Inconsistent PDF formatting
  • Unreliable cloud sync and sharing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved integration with other apps
  • Ability to annotate and edit PDFs
  • Support for more file formats
  • Wireless printing functionality
  • Streamlined file management

Penbook

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

None

Save2PDF

No in-app purchases

11 purchases

Penbook

Subscriptions7
  • Penbook Premium5 variants$4.991 Month
  • Penbook Premium$7.991 Month
  • Penbook Premium7 Days trial3 variants$14.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • Penbook Premium7 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Year
  • Penbook Premium7 Days trial2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Penbook Premium$29.991 Year
  • Penbook Premium7 Days trial3 variants$39.991 Year
One-time4
  • Premium Lifetime (Loyalty)$29.99
  • Penbook Premium Lifetime2 variants$49.99
  • Penbook Premium Lifetime$59.99
Show 1 more
  • Penbook Premium Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Save2PDF free?
Save2PDF costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Penbook free?
Penbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Save2PDF or Penbook?
Penbook is rated higher. Save2PDF averages 4.2 out of 5 from 66 ratings, while Penbook averages 4.5 from 46K ratings.
Do Save2PDF or Penbook have ads?
Neither Save2PDF nor Penbook shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Save2PDF or Penbook?
Save2PDF ships an update every 4 months, and Penbook every 5 days. Most recently, Save2PDF was updated on October 22, 2026 and Penbook on October 31, 2026.

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