Comparison

Pencil vs Dotted

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

Head to head
About

Pencil

This app allows users to handwrite, sketch, and annotate PDFs on their iPad and iPhone. It supports Apple Pencil and other styluses for note-taking, drawing, and even watercolor painting. Features include audio recording within notes and AI assistance for summarizing and translation.

Highlights
  • Handwrite and sketch with stylus or finger
  • Annotate and mark up PDFs
  • Record audio directly in notes
  • Create formatted text notes
  • Watercolor painting workspace
  • Scan and import documents
  • AI assistance for summaries and translation
Features
Read full description

Pencil brings handwriting, sketching, PDF annotation and watercolor painting to iPad and iPhone. Designed especially for Apple Pencil on iPad, it also works with other compatible styluses and your finger. Take notes in class, mark up a document, plan your week or paint an idea while it is still fresh. • Write and sketch your way. Use Apple Pencil on iPad, or write and draw with a compatible stylus or your finger on iPad and iPhone. Start a PDF note from a paper template, choose your ink colors and add typed text, images and shapes. Use lined or grid backgrounds to give your notes structure. • Make your PDFs useful. Highlight passages, add comments, write in the margins and insert your signature. Search inside a document, bookmark important pages and rearrange, duplicate or rotate pages as your work develops. • Keep the conversation with your notes. Record audio directly in a PDF note and play it back alongside the page. Revisit a lecture, meeting or explanation without separating the recording from your written notes. • Type when words come first. Create formatted Text Notes with fonts, colors, lists, checklists, tables and images. Turn a quick thought into a clear set of notes, a plan or a longer draft, then export it as a PDF to share. • Explore watercolor painting. Open a dedicated painting workspace, choose your paper and experiment with brushes, mixed colors and washes. Paint from a reference photo, try guided practice lessons and export your painting as an image or PDF. • Bring paper into your notebook. Scan documents with the camera, import files through the Files app and add photos to your work. Keep notes, PDFs and paintings organized in folders, ready to return to when you need them. • Get help from AI. Ask questions about your documents, summarize a passage, explain an unfamiliar concept or translate selected text. Use AI Chat to work through an idea alongside your notes. Privacy Policy: https://www.noteswriter.com/Kairoos_Privacy_Policy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Dotted

This app offers a digital planning and journaling experience with a focus on customization and efficiency. It features a vast template library, customizable covers, and advanced handwriting recognition to transform your notes into searchable text.

Highlights
  • Extensive template library
  • Customizable covers and themes
  • Advanced handwriting recognition
  • Powerful search functionality
  • Intuitive interface
Read full description

Discover the art of planning and journaling with precision and personal flair with Dotted, the best digital planner and journal app designed for iPad users. Crafted meticulously to enhance productivity and creativity, Dotted offers a seamless, intuitive interface with extensive customization options that cater to all your planning needs. Key Features: * Extensive Template Library: Choose from over 10 meticulously designed templates for every occasion, from daily planning to project management and personal reflection. * Customizable Covers: Express yourself with dozens of beautifully crafted covers and themes. Mix and match to suit your style or mood! * Advanced Handwriting Recognition: Turn your handwritten notes into text with state-of-the-art handwriting recognition. Easily search and edit your entries for maximum efficiency. * Powerful Search Functionality: Quickly find past entries with our powerful search tool that recognizes both text and handwritten notes. Terms of use: https://akimk.notion.site/Dotted-Terms-of-Use-520c3ef88f174184a24e7e87efa54b01?pvs=4 Privacy Policy: https://akimk.notion.site/Dotted-Privacy-Policy-75ffc2492a6143bb9228e84e4aee550e?pvs=4 Disclaimer: Some features may require a premium subscription, which renews automatically.

Screenshots

Pencil4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Pencil at 4.0 against Dotted's 3.8. Dotted's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pencil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days and Dotted sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Pencil holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pencil ships an update weekly, Dotted every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Pencil versus Dotted: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPencilDotted
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (4 ratings) — better3.8 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings44
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS26.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size511 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKairoos Solutions SLAkim Kasabulatov

Customer experience

Pencil

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Dotted

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Pencil

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Unlock All and AI Assistant3 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Pencil Annual3 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pencil Lifetime$14.99
3 purchases

Dotted

Subscriptions3
  • Digital Planner Weekly Access$4.997 Days
  • Digital Planner Monthly Access$9.991 Month
  • Digital Planner Annual Access3 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Pencil free?
Pencil is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dotted free?
Dotted is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pencil or Dotted?
Pencil is rated higher. Pencil averages 4.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Dotted averages 3.8 from 4 ratings.
Do Pencil or Dotted have ads?
Neither Pencil nor Dotted shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pencil or Dotted?
Pencil ships an update weekly, and Dotted every 4 days. Most recently, Pencil was updated on November 3, 2026 and Dotted on November 4, 2026.

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