# Penzu vs Journalli

The clearest difference is rating: Journalli at 5.0 against Penzu's 4.2. Journalli also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). Penzu's advantage is ratings volume (2.5K vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penzu sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Journalli asks for nothing beyond the download.

Journalli holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Penzu has 2.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Penzu ships an update weekly, Journalli fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penzu | Journalli |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penzu/id452674732/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journalli/id1662056419/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 62 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Penzu Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452674735) | [Journalli LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1662056421) |

## What reviewers say

### Penzu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penzu/id452674732)

This app provides a secure and private space for journaling, note-taking, and storing personal thoughts. It offers robust security features like password and PIN locks, encryption, and cloud syncing across devices. Users can also add photos and tags to their entries, making it a comprehensive digital diary.

**Highlights:** Unlimited journaling, Cloud sync for free, Password and PIN locks, Journal encryption, Add photos to entries, Search and tag entries, Offline writing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penzu Pro Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Penzu Pro Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Penzu Pro Upgrade | $18.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 📝 Convenient journaling on the go
- 🗓️ Helpful reminders and date tracking
- 💻 Syncs across devices

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔑 Password issues and lockout problems
- 📁 Syncing and data loss issues
- 📱 Limited functionality on mobile app
- 💰 Expensive premium subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard disappearing during use
- Entries not saving or syncing properly
- Inability to access account after updates

**Requested features**

- More customization options for fonts, themes, and layouts
- Ability to export/backup journal entries
- Improved mobile app stability and features
- Better customer support and communication


### Journalli

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journalli/id1662056419)

A straightforward journaling application designed for ease of use. It features autosave functionality and voice-to-text input, allowing users to focus on writing without distractions. The clean interface supports quick searching of past entries.

**Highlights:** Autosave entries, Voice-to-text input, Search past entries, Clean user interface, No extra frills

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penzu free?

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

### Is Journalli free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Penzu or Journalli?

Journalli is rated higher. Penzu averages 4.2 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Journalli averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Penzu or Journalli have ads?

Neither Penzu nor Journalli shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penzu or Journalli?

Penzu ships an update weekly, and Journalli fortnightly. Most recently, Penzu was updated on October 17, 2026 and Journalli on October 20, 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.*