# Pencil vs Dotted

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Pencil | Dotted |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews)** | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotted-digital-planner/id6497405508/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 511 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [Akim Kasabulatov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1211314144) |

## What reviewers say

### Pencil

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Unlock All and AI Assistant | $3.99 | per month |
| Pencil Annual | $14.99 | per year |
| Pencil Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time |


### Dotted

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dotted-digital-planner/id6497405508)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Planner Weekly Access | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Digital Planner Monthly Access | $9.99 | per month |
| Digital Planner Annual Access | $39.99 | per year |


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