# Steno Notes vs Penso Notes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Penso Notes at none against Steno Notes's 4. Penso Notes also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). Steno Notes's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Steno Notes sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Penso Notes asks for nothing beyond the download.

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, Penso Notes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Steno Notes | Penso Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Size | 85 MB | 122 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mikail Kraft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1816063784) | [Suchitra Enterprise](https://appshunter.io/developer/1827772637) |

## What reviewers say

### Steno Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/steno-notes/id6746288600)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip Jar (Small) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Tip Jar (Medium) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Steno Complete | $4.99 | one-time |
| Steno Tip (Large) | $4.99 | one-time |


### Penso Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penso-notes/id6748872837)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Steno Notes free?

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

### Is Penso Notes free?

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

### Do Steno Notes or Penso Notes have ads?

Neither Steno Notes nor Penso Notes shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Steno Notes or Penso Notes?

Steno Notes ships an update every 2 days, and Penso Notes every 3 weeks. Most recently, Steno Notes was updated on September 7, 2026 and Penso Notes on September 19, 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.*