Comparison

Dotty vs Penna

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

Head to head
About

Dotty

Features
Read full description

Dotty turns your day into a single, beautiful line. Schedule tasks and habits at a time of day and watch them connect into a vertical timeline you can actually move through. Plan your morning routine, block focus time, build habits, and keep your streaks alive — all from one calm, focused screen. KEY FEATURES • Timeline, not a list — tasks render as a connected-dot timeline through your day • Subtasks — break a task into steps, nest them as deep as you think, and tick them off one by one • Fresh every day — a repeating task's checklist resets on each occurrence, so your routine starts clean • Habits & streaks — repeat daily, on weekdays, weekends, weekly, or on exactly the days you choose • Daily progress ring — see how much of your day you've completed at a glance • Reminders — local notifications so nothing slips • Home-screen widget — check off tasks without opening the app • Live Activities & Dynamic Island — live countdowns for timed tasks in progress • iCloud sync — your timeline stays in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac • Make it yours — 25 colors and 91 icons grouped by subject, plus Light, Dark, and Glass appearances COMPLETELY FREE Every feature above is included. No paid tier, no subscription, no ads, no task limits, nothing held back. If Dotty earns a place in your day, you can leave an optional tip from the heart button in the toolbar. Tips are one-time, entirely voluntary, and unlock nothing — they simply fund what comes next. PRIVACY Your data stays on your device and syncs only through your own private iCloud. Dotty collects nothing.

About

Penna

This offline planner uses on-device AI to break down large tasks into smaller steps and organize your thoughts visually. It prioritizes privacy with no accounts, cloud storage, or data collection, offering encrypted backups and export options.

Highlights
  • On-device AI task breakdown
  • Visual snap-grid board
  • Offline functionality
  • Brain Dump for thoughts
  • Smart text input
  • Encrypted backups
  • Pomodoro focus timer
Features
Read full description

Pay once, keep it forever — no subscriptions, ever. Penna is the ADHD planner that shows you time: your day as a visual board, a countdown for the task you're on, and AI that runs on your iPhone. 100% offline, no account, no one watching. SEE TIME (new in 1.4) • Estimated duration on every tile — 15, 30, 45, 60 min or your own • A countdown ring on the task you're doing right now • Countdown widget on the Home and Lock Screen: what's now, what's next, how long is left • Morning check-in in 3 taps: your energy today → a day that fits it • Everyone gets 7 days of Pro to try — no card, no account ON-DEVICE AI (Apple Intelligence) • Magic Breakdown — a big scary task becomes 3–7 tiny first steps, each under 15 minutes • Organize — your Brain Dump sorts itself into tiles with dates and tags, you approve every change • Smart input understands "call mom tomorrow evening" — in English and Russian AI runs entirely on your iPhone. No cloud, no account — Data Not Collected stays true. Requires iPhone 15 Pro or newer with Apple Intelligence; everything else works on any iPhone with iOS 18. Most planners want your email, a subscription, and your data. Penna wants none of it. Everything lives on your device. Your backups are encrypted and yours to keep. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • 100% offline — no account, no servers, no ads, no trackers • Data Not Collected — nothing leaves your device • Face ID lock on individual notes • AES-256 encrypted backups — free, forever • Export to Markdown, JSON, PDF or calendar (.ics) PLAN VISUALLY • Snap-grid board — arrange note tiles in any cell, like icons on a home screen • Drag tiles between days on a collapsible week/month calendar • Timeline view for hour-by-hour day blocking CAPTURE THE WAY YOU THINK • Brain Dump — drop a thought in one tap, schedule it later • Smart text input — type “call mom tomorrow 6pm” and Penna sets the day and reminder • Checklists, photos, file attachments, tags, 10 colors STAY ON TRACK • Reminders with repeat (daily/weekly/monthly) and snooze • Habits grid with daily streak · Pomodoro focus timer • Home-screen & Lock Screen widget · Share extension PENNA PRO (one-time purchase, no subscriptions, ever) • Unlimited notes, Brain Dump and attachments • Repeating reminders and calendar events on your board • iCloud Sync — your data stays in YOUR private iCloud; we never see it The free version is a complete planner forever. Privacy and your encrypted backups are always free. Pay once. Own it. No subscriptions.

Screenshots

Dotty4 screens
Penna4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Penna at every 4 days against Dotty's monthly. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Dotty sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Penna sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dotty ships an update monthly, Penna every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Dotty versus Penna: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDottyPenna
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMohamed SminaNikolai Tsyrenov

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Dotty

One-time3
  • Small Support$1.99
  • Generous Support$4.99
  • Big Support$9.99
1 purchases

Penna

One-time1
  • Penna Pro$11.99

Questions

Is Dotty free?
Dotty is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Penna free?
Penna is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dotty or Penna have ads?
Neither Dotty nor Penna shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Dotty or Penna?
Dotty ships an update monthly, and Penna every 4 days. Most recently, Dotty was updated on September 9, 2026 and Penna on September 20, 2026.

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