Comparison

Penso Notes vs FocusBao

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Penso Notes

Features
Read full description

Penso Notes: Write freely. Find easily. Never lose a brilliant idea again. Penso Notes transforms how you capture, organise, and rediscover your thoughts. Whether you're planning your day, tracking goals, or preserving memories, this powerful digital journal adapts to your life. Why Choose Penso Notes? - Bullet Journaling Perfected:Inspired by Ryder Carroll's proven Bullet Journal and Rapid Logging Methods, enhanced for the digital age. - Multimedia Memory Keeping:Add formatted text, photos, voice and camera recordings. - Multiple Journals, One App: Keep diaries for work, personal life, travel, or projects. - Find Anything Instantly: Search by text, tags, dates, or even bullets. Smart Organisation - Customisable bullets for quick scanning of tasks, notes, and events - Note Colours, tags and categories - Day dividers with mood and weather tracking - Priority highlighting and reactions - Calendar integration for events and reminders - Quick swipe gestures for migration and scheduling - Customisable themes and stickers Privacy You Can Trust Your thoughts are yours alone. Secure diary locking, private keys, and on-device storage mean your personal information stays personal. Perfect For: - Professionals managing projects and ideas - Creatives capturing inspiration - Anyone wanting better life organisation - Students organising research and deadlines - Bullet journal enthusiasts going digital Key Features: - Text, audio, photo, video, and file entries - Cross-journal search and tags - Customisable bullets and colour coding - Integrated Calendar and reminders - Multiple diary support - Mood and day dividers - Privacy controls - Beautiful themes and stickers From Scattered to Organised Stop losing important thoughts across sticky notes, random apps, and forgotten notebooks. Penso Notes creates one trusted space where every idea, plan, and memory has its place. Join thousands worldwide who trust Penso Notes to stay organised and keep ideas safe. Ready to Transform Your Thinking? Download Penso Notes today and experience the perfect blend of creative freedom and digital organisation. Penso Pro is an auto-renewing subscription (monthly or yearly). Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Account Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.penso-notes.com/privacy

About

FocusBao

This app uses a charming animated character and ambient sounds to create a calming environment for focused work. It helps users stay on task with a simple timer, track progress, and build consistent focus routines.

Highlights
  • Animated focus companion
  • Ambient soundscapes
  • Simple timer for focused sessions
  • Progress tracking and achievements
  • Customizable experience
  • Reduces distractions
Read full description

Meet Bao, your new focus companion. Focus Bao is a calming productivity timer designed to make focused work feel more enjoyable. Set your timer, begin a session, and join Bao as he leaves his cozy room to study on a peaceful lily pad. Whether you are studying, working, reading, creating, or completing everyday tasks, Focus Bao gives you a relaxing space to concentrate and keep moving forward. FOCUS WITH BAO Start a timed focus session and let Bao accompany you while you work. The simple timer helps you focus on one task at a time without unnecessary distractions. EXPLORE A PEACEFUL WORLD Watch Bao study in a cozy, animated environment inspired by quiet lakes, nature, and relaxing lo-fi spaces. Focus sessions transform productivity into a small adventure with Bao. CHOOSE YOUR AMBIENCE Create the atmosphere that works best for you with a collection of ambient sounds. Relax with sounds such as rain, ocean waves, birds, a fireplace, page turns, library ambience, thunder, jazz, and lo-fi-inspired audio. BUILD CONSISTENCY Complete focus sessions, track your activity, and earn achievements as you continue spending meaningful time on your goals. MAKE BAO YOUR OWN Customize your experience and continue unlocking ways to enjoy your focus sessions with Bao. FOCUS BAO IS GREAT FOR: • Studying and homework • Deep work sessions • Reading and writing • Creative projects • Daily planning • Reducing distractions • Building a consistent focus routine Focus does not have to feel stressful. Take a breath, choose a task, and begin your next session with Bao.

Screenshots

Penso Notes4 screens
FocusBao4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FocusBao at none against Penso Notes's 3. Penso Notes's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Penso Notes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. FocusBao asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Penso Notes versus FocusBao: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPenso NotesFocusBao
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size161 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSuchitra EnterpriseYusuf Rana

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Penso Notes

Subscriptions2
  • Penso Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Penso Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Penso Pro Extended$79.99
None

FocusBao

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Penso Notes free?
Penso Notes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FocusBao free?
FocusBao is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Penso Notes or FocusBao have ads?
Neither Penso Notes nor FocusBao shows ads.

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