# Pen and Paper vs Inkflow Visual Notebook

The clearest difference is ads: Pen and Paper at none against Inkflow Visual Notebook's shown. Pen and Paper also leads on update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 5 months). Inkflow Visual Notebook's advantage is ratings volume (1.9K vs 41). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pen and Paper sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Inkflow Visual Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Inkflow Visual Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Inkflow Visual Notebook has 1.9K ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Pen and Paper's written reviews are positive against 71% of Inkflow Visual Notebook's.

Pen and Paper ships an update every 5 weeks, Inkflow Visual Notebook every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pen and Paper | Inkflow Visual Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper/id425893570/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkflow-visual-notebook/id519524685/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **1.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 69.7% of reviews | **71.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 50 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vivid Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/291793754) | [Qrayon, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/354980265) |

## What reviewers say

### Pen and Paper

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen-and-paper/id425893570)

Create handwritten notes and drawings, annotate PDFs, and add text and shapes. Zoom in for detailed editing, organize content with layers, and import custom fonts and page styles. Share your creations as PDFs or JPEGs.

**Highlights:** Handwritten notes and drawings, PDF import and annotation, Text and shape insertion, Zoom and split view, Layer management, Custom font installation, PDF export

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pen and Paper PRO monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Pen and Paper PRO | $5.99 | per year |
| Pen and Paper PRO | $7.99 | one-time |


### Inkflow Visual Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkflow-visual-notebook/id519524685)

This app offers a fluid digital writing and sketching experience, allowing users to easily capture, resize, and reorganize ideas. It supports high-resolution zooming for detailed work and integrates text, photos, and custom paper backgrounds. Users can share their creations in various formats.

**Highlights:** Fluid digital ink for writing and sketching, Resize and reorganize content with touch gestures, High-resolution zoom for precision detail, Insert text, photos, and custom paper backgrounds, Export to PDF, JPEG, and PNG, Inkport for scanning real-world notes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Inkflow Plus | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Intuitive interface
- 💡 Great for brainstorming and sketching
- 👍 Useful for note-taking and journaling
- 👍 Versatile for various purposes (work, school, art)

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Limited features in free version
- 💰 Paid upgrade is expensive for some users
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔒 Lack of cloud sync and cross-device access
- 🔒 Difficult to organize and manage notebooks/pages

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and data loss
- Unreliable auto-save and syncing
- Compatibility issues with newer devices/OS
- Pen/input lag and inconsistent responsiveness

**Requested features**

- Add more pen/brush options and customization
- Implement layers and advanced drawing tools
- Improve page management (insert, delete, reorder)
- Integrate cloud sync and cross-device access
- Add password protection and locking features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pen and Paper free?

Pen and Paper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Inkflow Visual Notebook free?

Inkflow Visual Notebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Pen and Paper or Inkflow Visual Notebook?

Inkflow Visual Notebook is rated higher. Pen and Paper averages 4.4 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Inkflow Visual Notebook averages 4.6 from 1.9K ratings.

### Do Pen and Paper or Inkflow Visual Notebook have ads?

Inkflow Visual Notebook shows ads; Pen and Paper does not.

### Which is updated more often, Pen and Paper or Inkflow Visual Notebook?

Pen and Paper ships an update every 5 weeks, and Inkflow Visual Notebook every 5 months. Most recently, Pen and Paper was updated on October 15, 2026 and Inkflow Visual Notebook on October 18, 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.*