Comparison

First Note vs Pennio

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

First Note

Manage your finances with this tool that allows you to track daily, monthly, and year-over-year spending. Easily search for past transactions by date to compare expenses and make informed financial decisions.

Highlights
  • Daily balance tracking
  • Monthly spending reports
  • Carry-over balance from previous month
  • Transaction search by date
  • Historical spending comparison
Features
Read full description

First Note is an ideal tool to manage the accounting staff and view the balance daily, monthly and carry over the previous month. The research can be done to move or date. For example: do not you remember when you spent last year for the maintenance of your car? Do you think the mechanic will not ask a higher price? With this tool you can go back to that era and compare spending for the current year.

About

Pennio

Features
Read full description

Take control of your money with Pennio โ€” a simple weekly budget app that actually works. Set envelope budgets for each category and let unspent money roll over automatically. Track every income and expense across multiple wallets in 41 currencies with live exchange rates. Monitor your net worth, savings goals, and debt payoff all in one place. Home and lock screen widgets keep your spending visible. Built-in calculator, charts, and calendar view show where your money goes. Works offline. Syncs across devices. No bank linking. Your data stays yours. Pennio Pro is an optional auto-renewable subscription. You can use the app without subscribing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

First Note4 screens
Pennio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Pennio at Free against First Note's $2.99. First Note's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Pennio is free to download; First Note costs $2.99 up front. Pennio sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. First Note asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 6 level
First Note versus Pennio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst NotePennio
Price$2.99Free โ€” better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
MonetizationPaidโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better15.1
Further details โ€” not scored
Size3 MB67 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGianfranco PercopoArtur Popov

In-app purchases

None

First Note

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Pennio

Subscriptions2
  • Pennio Pro Weekly3 Days trial$5.997 Days
  • Pennio Pro Yearly$39.991 Year

Questions

Is First Note free?
First Note costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pennio free?
Pennio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Note or Pennio have ads?
Neither First Note nor Pennio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, First Note or Pennio?
First Note ships an update every 3 months, and Pennio every 3 months. Most recently, First Note was updated on July 4, 2026 and Pennio on September 2, 2026.

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