# Penjo vs solmate

The clearest difference is update cadence: Penjo at every 11 days against solmate's monthly. solmate's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Penjo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and solmate sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Penjo ships an update every 11 days, solmate monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Penjo | solmate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (280 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penjo-pencil-journal-planner/id6446053076/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **280** | — |
| Positive reviews | 73.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 29 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Vision Pro | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zafer ARICAN](https://appshunter.io/developer/1118422608) | [Muserref Hatipoglu](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785616423) |

## What reviewers say

### Penjo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penjo-pencil-journal-planner/id6446053076)

This app combines journaling, planning, and note-taking with a pencil-first interface. It offers powerful handwriting search, creative image tools, and seamless integration with calendars and reminders. Organize your thoughts and tasks with flexible layouts and personalized tools.

**Highlights:** Pencil-first writing and sketching, Handwriting search and text conversion, Calendar and reminders integration, Creative image editing tools, Customizable pen and tool picker, Flexible page layouts, iCloud sync across devices

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✍️ Excellent Apple Pencil integration and handwriting experience
- 📅 Seamless calendar and reminders integration
- 💰 One-time lifetime purchase option (no subscriptions)
- 🎨 Clean, minimalist, and intuitive user interface
- ⚡ Fast and responsive performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable cloud sync across multiple devices
- 💳 Confusing payment model and paywall messaging
- 🔐 Missing security features like screen lock
- 📱 Limited macOS support (Intel Macs incompatible)
- 🎨 Limited customization options for colors and themes

**Reported bugs**

- Cloud sync not working across devices despite paid subscription
- App crashes when using photo effects
- Calendar not syncing or displaying properly
- Notebooks disappearing or becoming unopenable
- Text boxes misaligning after app closure

**Requested features**

- Dark mode or black background option
- Screen lock/page lock to prevent accidental writing
- Apple Pencil advanced features (highlighter, squeeze, double-tap)
- Text formatting options (resize, color change for selected text)
- More page layout templates and line spacing options


### solmate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/solmate/id6785616421)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| 12 Month Premium | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Penjo free?

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

### Is solmate free?

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

### Do Penjo or solmate have ads?

Neither Penjo nor solmate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Penjo or solmate?

Penjo ships an update every 11 days, and solmate monthly. Most recently, Penjo was updated on October 24, 2026 and solmate on October 24, 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.*