# Lode vs Penni

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Lode at 8 against Penni's 1. On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Lode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Penni sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Lode against 5.0 for Penni. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Lode has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lode | Penni |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lode-ai-expense-tracker/id6760552716/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penni-expense-tracker/id6789282109/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 55 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kyrylo Svystun](https://appshunter.io/developer/1884937511) | [OTHMANE MDIDET](https://appshunter.io/developer/1837087586) |

## What reviewers say

### Lode

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lode-ai-expense-tracker/id6760552716)

Effortlessly track your finances using natural language input and AI-powered categorization. Manage budgets, bills, and savings goals with receipt scanning and multi-currency support. Ideal for those seeking a fast and intuitive budgeting experience without complex forms.

**Highlights:** AI transaction entry via natural language, Receipt scanning and data extraction, Budgeting and bill management, Multi-currency tracking, Savings goals and debt tracking, Home screen widgets and Siri Shortcuts, Shared financial spaces

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lode Premium | $3.99 | per month |
| Lode Premium | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Premium | $59.99 | one-time |


### Penni

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/penni-expense-tracker/id6789282109)

Manage your finances with a calm, beautifully simple approach. Track spending, set gentle budgets, and grow savings without spreadsheets or account creation. Your data stays private on your device and synced via iCloud.

**Highlights:** Private by design, no sign-up required, Track expenses and income, Set gentle budgets, Manage savings goals, Financial health score, Home and Lock Screen widgets, iCloud sync and backup

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lode free?

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

### Is Penni free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lode or Penni?

Lode and Penni are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 8 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Lode or Penni have ads?

Neither Lode nor Penni shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lode or Penni?

Lode ships an update every 4 days, and Penni every 4 days. Most recently, Lode was updated on October 12, 2026 and Penni on October 18, 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.*