# aTimeLogger Time Tracker vs Penned

aTimeLogger Time Tracker and Penned both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 88% of aTimeLogger Time Tracker's written reviews are positive against 50% of Penned's. aTimeLogger Time Tracker also leads on monetization model (free vs paid) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 87). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

aTimeLogger Time Tracker costs $4.99 and Penned $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for aTimeLogger Time Tracker against 4.6 for Penned. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: aTimeLogger Time Tracker has 1.1K ratings behind it against 87, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of aTimeLogger Time Tracker's written reviews are positive against 50% of Penned's.

aTimeLogger Time Tracker ships an update monthly, Penned every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | aTimeLogger Time Tracker | Penned |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atimelogger-time-tracker/id576718804/reviews)** | [4.6 (87 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penned-private-notes/id1480653765/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 87 |
| Positive reviews | **88.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 72 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.3** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BGCI](https://appshunter.io/developer/463541630) | [Edwing H Santos Mena](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851857999) |

## What reviewers say

### aTimeLogger Time Tracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/atimelogger-time-tracker/id576718804)

Effortlessly monitor your daily activities with a single touch. Gain insights into your time management through detailed daily, weekly, and monthly statistics presented in clear diagrams and graphs. This app helps you control and manage your time effectively across various aspects of your life.

**Highlights:** Single-tap start/stop, Intuitive interface, iOS widget, Customizable activities with icons, Pause and resume, Detailed statistics and reports, Apple Watch integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for logging time
- 👍 Customizable categories and icons
- 📊 Useful reporting and data export
- ⏱️ Ability to set time goals
- 🔄 Supports multiple concurrent activities

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Privacy concerns over data collection
- 🔀 Confusing upgrade path between free and paid versions
- 🔍 Limited widget functionality
- 🕰️ Sync issues between devices
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes after updates

**Reported bugs**

- Automatic time zone adjustments causing issues
- Widget not updating correctly
- Inability to edit past entries
- Sync problems between iPhone and Apple Watch

**Requested features**

- Recurring activity scheduling
- Mileage tracking integration
- Deeper statistical analysis and reporting
- Siri/Shortcuts integration
- Apple Watch complication support


### Penned

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penned-private-notes/id1480653765)

A minimalist handwriting app designed for privacy, keeping all your notes securely on your device. It features natural writing with Apple Pencil, on-device AI text recognition, and smart tagging for easy searching. Export your notes as PDFs in a clean, distraction-free interface.

**Highlights:** Natural Apple Pencil writing, On-device AI text recognition, 100% private, no cloud, Export beautiful PDFs, Smart tagging and search, Distraction-free interface

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is aTimeLogger Time Tracker free?

aTimeLogger Time Tracker costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Penned free?

Penned costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, aTimeLogger Time Tracker or Penned?

aTimeLogger Time Tracker is rated higher. aTimeLogger Time Tracker averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Penned averages 4.6 from 87 ratings.

### Do aTimeLogger Time Tracker or Penned have ads?

Neither aTimeLogger Time Tracker nor Penned shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, aTimeLogger Time Tracker or Penned?

aTimeLogger Time Tracker ships an update monthly, and Penned every 2 months. Most recently, aTimeLogger Time Tracker was updated on October 17, 2026 and Penned on October 10, 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.*