# Penzu vs Notico Max

The clearest difference is rating: Notico Max at 5.0 against Penzu's 4.2. Penzu's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 9) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Notico Max sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Penzu asks for nothing beyond the download.

Notico Max 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, Notico Max every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penzu | Notico Max |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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/notico-max/id6762639265/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 52.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 62 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Penzu Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/452674735) | [Michael Demchak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1835174316) |

## 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:** none

**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


### Notico Max

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notico-max/id6762639265)

An all-in-one workspace for notes, links, reminders, study sets, and passwords. Organize everything in one place with rich formatting, folders, and tags. Works offline and syncs across devices.

**Highlights:** Notes with rich formatting, folders, and tags, Save URLs with previews and notes, Date and time reminders with calendar view, Flashcards and quizzes for study, Encrypted password vault, Cross-device cloud sync, Offline functionality

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 5 GB Personal Storage | $0.99 | per month |
| Extra Family Seat | $0.99 | per month |
| NoticoMax | $2.99 | per month |
| 50 GB Personal Storage | $2.99 | per month |
| 20 GB Family Storage | $2.99 | per month |
| Family Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| 100 GB Family Storage | $4.99 | per month |
| 200 GB Personal Storage | $5.99 | per month |
| 500 GB Family Storage | $14.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penzu free?

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

### Is Notico Max free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Penzu or Notico Max?

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

### Do Penzu or Notico Max have ads?

Neither Penzu nor Notico Max shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penzu or Notico Max?

Penzu ships an update weekly, and Notico Max every 2 months. Most recently, Penzu was updated on November 6, 2026 and Notico Max on November 5, 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.*