# PencilDiary vs sunbeam

The clearest difference is rating: sunbeam at 5.0 against PencilDiary's 4.8. sunbeam also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18). PencilDiary's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PencilDiary sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and sunbeam sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

sunbeam holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 17 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

PencilDiary ships an update every 2 weeks, sunbeam monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PencilDiary | sunbeam |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencildiary-notes-pdf-markup/id6739626574/reviews) | **[5.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-daily-journal-diary/id6743747950/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **41** | 17 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 214 MB | 177 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RABBITEYE LAB LLP](https://appshunter.io/developer/1482497034) | [Gorav Singh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1804328499) |

## What reviewers say

### PencilDiary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pencildiary-notes-pdf-markup/id6739626574)

This app provides a daily handwritten journal experience with a new page automatically generated each day, organized by date. It offers seamless light and dark mode adaptation with smart color inversion for optimal readability and a minimalist design for focused reflection.

**Highlights:** New page generated daily, organized by date, Automatic light and dark mode with color inversion, Pure handwriting input with Apple Pencil support, Minimalist and distraction-free interface, Ideal for personal growth and reflection, No manual sorting or folder management

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| LifeTime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $49.99 | one-time |
| LifeTime | $59.99 | one-time |


### sunbeam

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sunbeam-daily-journal-diary/id6743747950)

A simple daily journal and diary app focused on self-care, reflection, and mental well-being. It offers gentle prompts, password protection for privacy, and a calming design to encourage relaxation and gratitude.

**Highlights:** Daily journaling and diary entries, Self-care and mental health focus, Password protection for privacy, Calming and minimal design, Interactive prompt widgets, Backup and restore functionality

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| sunbeam Glow | $14.99 | per year |
| sunbeam Glow forever | $34.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PencilDiary free?

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

### Is sunbeam free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PencilDiary or sunbeam?

sunbeam is rated higher. PencilDiary averages 4.8 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while sunbeam averages 5.0 from 17 ratings.

### Do PencilDiary or sunbeam have ads?

Neither PencilDiary nor sunbeam shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PencilDiary or sunbeam?

PencilDiary ships an update every 2 weeks, and sunbeam monthly. Most recently, PencilDiary was updated on October 26, 2026 and sunbeam 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.*