# Penzu vs Just Write

The clearest difference is ads: Penzu at none against Just Write's shown. Just Write's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 52%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.2 for Penzu against 4.3 for Just Write. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.5K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Penzu's written reviews are positive against 67% of Just Write's.

Penzu ships an update weekly, Just Write every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penzu | Just Write |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penzu/id452674732/reviews) | **[4.3 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.5K** | 1.8K |
| Positive reviews | 52.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 62 MB | 10 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) | [Tung Vu](https://appshunter.io/developer/870117448) |

## 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


### Just Write

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/just-write-app-for-writer/id942826631)

A minimalist text editor designed to streamline the writing process. It supports both RTF and TXT formats, offering rich text editing and Markdown support. Sync your work across devices with iCloud integration.

**Highlights:** RTF and TXT file support, Markdown styling, iCloud file syncing, Rich text editing tools, Multiple themes, Smart selection tool (iPad)

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| No Ads | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Simple and straightforward interface
- 📁 Organized folder system
- ✨ Clean and minimalist design
- 🆓 Free to use with no ads
- ⚡️ Offline writing capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/accessing files
- 🔧 Limited formatting and customization options
- 🖥️ Lack of syncing/cross-device support
- 🖋️ No spell check or grammar assistance

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and data loss
- Inability to reopen saved documents
- Unreliable auto-save functionality
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Implement more font and formatting choices
- Introduce paragraph spacing and indentation controls
- Integrate spell check and grammar tools
- Enable file syncing across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penzu free?

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

### Is Just Write free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Penzu or Just Write?

Just Write is rated higher. Penzu averages 4.2 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while Just Write averages 4.3 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Penzu or Just Write have ads?

Just Write shows ads; Penzu does not.

### Which is updated more often, Penzu or Just Write?

Penzu ships an update weekly, and Just Write every 11 days. Most recently, Penzu was updated on October 23, 2026 and Just Write on October 22, 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.*