# LivePen vs inq

LivePen and inq both sit at 3.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 54% of inq's written reviews are positive against 34% of LivePen's. LivePen's advantage is monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.0 for LivePen against 3.1 for inq. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 34 and 21 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of LivePen's written reviews are positive against 54% of inq's.

LivePen ships an update every 11 days, inq every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 8, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LivePen | inq |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/livepen/id6467809022/reviews) | **[3.1 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inq/id6745051671/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **34** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 34.2% of reviews | **53.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 46 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Livescribe Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/389244678) | [inq incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810554282) |

## What reviewers say

### LivePen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/livepen/id6467809022)

Instantly digitize your handwritten notes and drawings from paper to your smartphone. Capture ideas, sketches, and important information in ink and bring them into your digital world for easy access and sharing.

**Highlights:** Instant digital capture of handwritten content, Syncs ink from paper to smartphone, Converts handwritten notes to text, Share digital notes and sketches, Organize captured ideas and sketches

**In-app purchases:** none


### inq

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inq/id6745051671)

Digitize your handwritten notes and drawings for access across all devices. Automatically transcribe and search your content, with options to export in specialized formats like LaTeX or CSV. Share your work with live updates for collaborators.

**Highlights:** Digitize notes and drawings, Access notes anywhere (web, any device), Automatic transcription and search, Export to LaTeX, CSV, mermaid, Share notes with live updates, Integrated voice recording synced to handwriting

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LivePen free?

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

### Is inq free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LivePen or inq?

inq is rated higher. LivePen averages 3.0 out of 5 from 34 ratings, while inq averages 3.1 from 21 ratings.

### Do LivePen or inq have ads?

Neither LivePen nor inq shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LivePen or inq?

LivePen ships an update every 11 days, and inq every 3 weeks. Most recently, LivePen was updated on June 8, 2026 and inq on September 22, 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.*