# Pen vs Savage (Simple Shelf App)

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Savage (Simple Shelf App) at 93% against Pen's 7%. Savage (Simple Shelf App) also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 months). Pen's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 26.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pen sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Savage (Simple Shelf App) sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pen ships an update every 6 months, Savage (Simple Shelf App) daily. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pen | Savage (Simple Shelf App) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen/id471302082/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 6.7% of reviews | **92.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Daily** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 21 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 26.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CE Media House Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1015059153) | [yu kawase](https://appshunter.io/developer/530948786) |

## What reviewers say

### Pen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pen/id471302082)

This app offers a digital lifestyle magazine for design-conscious adults, focusing on products, fashion, and homes. It explores various themes through the lens of design, catering to a sophisticated male audience. Subscribers gain access to monthly issues and can purchase individual copies.

**Highlights:** Digital lifestyle magazine, Design-focused content, Product, fashion, and home themes, Monthly issues (twice a month), Individual issue purchases, Subscription options

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Penの定期購読 | $6.99 | per month |
| Penの定期購読 | $19.49 | per 3 months |
| Penの定期購読 | $67.99 | per year |
| Pen　2015年　11/15号 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pen　2016年　1/1・15号 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pen　2016年　3/1号 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pen　2016年　3/15号 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pen　2020年 3/1号 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pen 2020年 8/1号 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pen　2019年 3/1号 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pen＋　手塚治虫 | $7.99 | one-time |


### Savage (Simple Shelf App)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/savage-simple-shelf-app/id1496502686)

Organize your personal library with this minimalist app. Quickly add books by scanning barcodes and capture favorite passages using OCR technology. Sync your collection across devices for easy access anytime.

**Highlights:** Instant book registration via barcode scan, OCR passage capture from photos, Cloud sync across devices, Minimalist and intuitive design, Save quotes and notes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Savage Pro | $9.49 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pen free?

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

### Is Savage (Simple Shelf App) free?

Savage (Simple Shelf App) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Pen or Savage (Simple Shelf App) have ads?

Neither Pen nor Savage (Simple Shelf App) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pen or Savage (Simple Shelf App)?

Pen ships an update every 6 months, and Savage (Simple Shelf App) daily. Most recently, Pen was updated on November 1, 2026 and Savage (Simple Shelf App) on October 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*