Comparison

OpenScribe vs Pensieve Note

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

Head to head
About

OpenScribe

This app transforms handwriting, PDFs, and audio into searchable, organized notes. It offers powerful OCR for instant retrieval, PDF annotation, and audio recording with transcription. Seamless iCloud sync keeps your work updated across devices.

Highlights
  • Handwriting to text conversion
  • PDF annotation and signing
  • Audio recording and transcription
  • Universal search
  • Offline work capability
  • iCloud synchronization
Features
Read full description

OpenScribe turns handwriting, PDFs, and audio into searchable, organized notes—fast, reliable, and private. Capture ideas in class, meetings, or on the go, then find anything instantly with powerful OCR and search. Annotate PDFs, record while you write, and export in formats that fit your workflow. iCloud keeps your library in sync across devices. What you can do - Capture handwriting: Write or sketch and convert ink to text with OCR. - Annotate PDFs: Import handouts, highlight, comment, sign, and export. - Record and transcribe: Take audio notes; transcriptions make everything searchable. - Search everything: Instantly find text in handwriting, PDFs, and transcripts. - Organize your library: Notebooks, pages, and quick actions for tidy projects. - Export and share: Send PDFs or text and keep your edits intact. - Work offline: Capture and edit without a connection; sync when you’re back online. - iCloud sync: Keep notes up to date across your Apple devices. Why OpenScribe - Focused and fast: A clean workspace built for study, research, and meetings. - Accurate OCR: Turn handwriting and scans into searchable text. - Private by design: Your data stays yours; iCloud sync and secure networking. - Built for iOS 17: Modern performance, smooth canvas, and system integration. Great for - Students: Lecture notes, scanned handouts, and quick study packs. - Professionals: Meeting minutes, whiteboard photos, and annotated briefs. - Researchers: Paper markup, audio interviews, and cross‑document search. Get started by importing a PDF, creating a notebook, or tapping record. OpenScribe helps you capture, understand, and share your work—without friction. ******************* Terms of Use ********************** Please read the terms of use under: https://openscribe.app/terms.html ******************* Privacy Policy ********************** Please read our privacy policy under: https://openscribe.app/privacy.html

About

Pensieve Note

Capture and organize your thoughts with a unique note-taking experience. Pin notes to real-world locations using augmented reality, set location-based reminders, and secure private thoughts with a hidden folder. Offers rich text formatting, drawing, voice notes, and powerful organization tools.

Highlights
  • Augmented reality note placement
  • Location-based reminders
  • Hidden folder for private notes
  • Rich text formatting and drawing
  • Voice notes with transcription
  • One-sentence journaling timeline
  • Custom folders and tagging
Features
Read full description

Pensieve Note is where your thoughts find a home — beautiful, organized, and always within reach. Inspired by the magical memory vessel, this app transforms how you capture, organize, and revisit your ideas. PLACE MEMORIES IN THE REAL WORLD Use augmented reality to pin notes to physical locations. Leave a reminder at your favorite coffee shop, attach study notes to your desk, or create a memory trail through your city. Your notes exist in space, not just on screen. LOCATION-BASED REMINDERS Never forget what you needed to remember. Set notes to notify you when you arrive at specific places — grocery lists at the store, talking points before meetings, or reminders when you get home. GHOST MODE — YOUR SECRET SPACE Some thoughts deserve extra privacy. Ghost Mode creates a hidden folder protected by a secret code — invisible to anyone browsing your notes. Your private journal, secure ideas, or surprise plans stay truly private. BEAUTIFUL NOTE-TAKING - 15+ paper styles: College ruled, dot grid, graph paper, Cornell notes, and more - Rich text formatting with colors and styles - Draw and sketch with Apple Pencil support - Add photos, stickers, and voice recordings - Handwriting recognition that converts writing to text VOICE NOTES & TRANSCRIPTION Record your thoughts and let the app transcribe them automatically. Perfect for capturing ideas on the go, recording lectures, or quick voice memos that become searchable text. ONE SENTENCE JOURNALING Build a life timeline, one sentence at a time. Daily prompts help you capture moments that matter. Over time, watch your story unfold in a beautiful, scrollable timeline. POWERFUL ORGANIZATION - Custom folders with beautiful cover images - Tags for cross-referencing notes - Pin important notes to the top - Smart search across all content - Mind maps to visualize connections SECURITY & SYNC - Face ID and Touch ID app lock - iCloud sync across all your devices - Export notes as PDF - Import from other note apps Your thoughts deserve more than plain text files. Give them a home that is as unique as the ideas themselves. Download Pensieve Note and start capturing memories that last. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://doc-hosting.flycricket.io/pensieve-note/60d88c90-b919-46f7-a7e2-41eefa18708c/privacy

Screenshots

OpenScribe1 screens
Pensieve Note4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pensieve Note at fortnightly against OpenScribe's every 3 months. Pensieve Note also leads on ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. OpenScribe sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month and Pensieve Note sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for OpenScribe against 5.0 for Pensieve Note. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pensieve Note has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

OpenScribe ships an update every 3 months, Pensieve Note fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
OpenScribe versus Pensieve Note: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpenScribePensieve Note
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings15 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB43 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVidOpt LLCMena Soliman

Customer experience

OpenScribe

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pensieve Note

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

OpenScribe

Subscriptions1
  • OpenScribe Pro7 Days trial$1.991 Month
2 purchases

Pensieve Note

Subscriptions2
  • Pensieve Note Pro$2.991 Month
  • Pensieve Note Pro$29.991 Year

Questions

Is OpenScribe free?
OpenScribe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pensieve Note free?
Pensieve Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, OpenScribe or Pensieve Note?
OpenScribe and Pensieve Note are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 5 ratings respectively.
Do OpenScribe or Pensieve Note have ads?
Neither OpenScribe nor Pensieve Note shows ads.
Which is updated more often, OpenScribe or Pensieve Note?
OpenScribe ships an update every 3 months, and Pensieve Note fortnightly. Most recently, OpenScribe was updated on October 30, 2026 and Pensieve Note on November 5, 2026.

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