# Pencil vs gimlabslog

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: gimlabslog at none against Pencil's 4. gimlabslog also leads on iOS requirement (13.1 vs 26.0). Pencil's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pencil sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. gimlabslog asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pencil ships an update weekly, gimlabslog every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pencil | gimlabslog |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencil-pdf-notes-with-pencil/id6466286421/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 511 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **13.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kairoos Solutions SL](https://appshunter.io/developer/978066434) | [Isaac Cragg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1778016027) |

## 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 |


### gimlabslog

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gimlabslog/id6745508730)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pencil free?

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

### Is gimlabslog free?

gimlabslog is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Pencil or gimlabslog have ads?

Neither Pencil nor gimlabslog shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pencil or gimlabslog?

Pencil ships an update weekly, and gimlabslog every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pencil was updated on November 3, 2026 and gimlabslog on November 8, 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.*