# Penzu vs Notebook

The clearest difference is rating: Notebook at 4.7 against Penzu's 4.2. Notebook also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 52%) and ratings volume (14K vs 2.5K). Penzu's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penzu sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Notebook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notebook has 14K ratings behind it against 2.5K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of Penzu's written reviews are positive against 73% of Notebook's.

Penzu ships an update weekly, Notebook every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penzu | Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penzu/id452674732/reviews) | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.5K | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 51.5% of reviews | **72.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Penzu Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452674735) | [Koji Ito](https://appshunter.io/developer/334329056) |

## 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


### Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notebook-diary-and-journal-app/id654645301)

This app offers a natural journaling experience by organizing daily notes on a single page, allowing you to flip through your entries like a physical book. It prioritizes simplicity, security with passcode locks, and seamless iCloud synchronization for easy access across devices.

**Highlights:** Realistic page-turning effect, One page per day organization, iCloud sync and backup, Passcode lock with Face ID/Touch ID, Dark mode and font adjustment, Ad-free Premium option

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🔒 Password protection
- 💡 Convenient for journaling and note-taking
- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 👍 Organized by date

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
- 🚫 Unable to insert photos or attachments
- 🚫 Limited formatting options
- 🚫 No cloud sync or backup
- 🚫 Not compatible with iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Deleting entries causes the app to crash
- Long entries can cause the app to become unresponsive
- Password feature doesn't always work as expected

**Requested features**

- Add ability to insert photos and attachments
- Implement cloud sync and backup
- Allow more formatting options (font, size, color, bold, italic, etc.)
- Develop an iPad version with optimized layout
- Add a search function to easily find past entries


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penzu free?

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

### Is Notebook free?

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

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

Notebook is rated higher. Penzu averages 4.2 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Notebook averages 4.7 from 14K ratings.

### Do Penzu or Notebook have ads?

Notebook shows ads; Penzu does not.

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

Penzu ships an update weekly, and Notebook every 9 days. Most recently, Penzu was updated on September 21, 2026 and Notebook on September 27, 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.*