Penbook
Penbook: A stationery-rich notebook for Apple users who write by hand and annotate PDFs. Ranked #76 of 214 in Note-Taking Apps by our editors (3.0/10); pricing: Free plan · 7-day trial; best for iPad and Mac users who take handwritten notes.
At a glance
- Editor score3.0 / 10
- PricingFree plan · 7-day trial
- Best foriPad and Mac users who take handwritten notes
- Free planYes
- Facts checked23 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- More than 400 stationery types and layouts, with customizable pages and covers
- PDF imports support notebook-style annotation and editing
- Search handwritten notes and sync devices using iCloud
Where it doesn't
- The free plan allows only one notebook at a time
- Unlimited notebooks and export require a Premium purchase
- Its listed platforms are limited to Apple's ecosystem
Our verdict on Penbook
Penbook is a digital notebook for handwritten notes, planners, journals, and study notebooks on Apple devices. It suits people who prefer writing with Apple Pencil, another stylus, or a finger, and want more control over page design than a plain notes page offers. The app supports iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Apple Vision, and includes notebook sharing. Its focus is a customizable paper-like workspace rather than a general-purpose note system.
Stationery and page tools are central to the experience: Penbook offers more than 400 stationery types and layouts, lets users adjust layouts, colors, and covers, and can turn imported PDFs into notebooks for annotation and editing. Handwritten notes can be searched for words or phrases, while shape recognition can snap strokes to shapes. Daily, weekly, and yearly planners can display live calendar information, with Apple Calendar and iCloud listed as integrations. These features make it a fit for users who want handwriting, planning, and PDF markup together; people seeking AI features should look elsewhere, as Penbook does not include them.
The free plan can be used indefinitely but is limited to one notebook at a time. Penbook Premium is offered as a yearly subscription, adding unlimited notebook creation and export, access to new stationery and covers, and regular app updates. A separate Premium Lifetime in-app purchase provides premium features for a one-time payment. Since the paid options are presented without a clearly mapped price in the listing, buyers should check the in-app purchase terms for their region. Choose Penbook if a stationery-rich Apple notebook is the priority; choose another app if you need broader platform coverage or more than one free notebook.
Your product? Our editors can test Penbook in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Penbook pricing
All 2 Penbook plans and prices →
Penbook fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Offline access | Not verified |
| Supported platforms | iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Apple Vision |
| Note sharing | Yes |
| Real-time collaboration | Not verified |
| Storage limit | Not verified |
| Integrations | Apple Calendar; iCloud |
| Free trial | 7 days |
| Deployment | Mobile, Desktop |
| Platforms | iOS, macOS |
| Support | |
| Built for | Solo, Small business (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 2 integrations: Apple Calendar, iCloud |
| Pricing | Free plan · 7-day trial (source) |
| Website | penbook.app |
| Facts checked | 23 Sep 2026 |
Penbook integrations
Penbook lists 2 integrations on its own site.
- Apple Calendar
- iCloud
Alternatives to Penbook
- Microsoft OneNoteA broad, collaborative note system with strong Microsoft integration and a capable free option.9.3
- NotionA flexible workspace for teams that want notes and knowledge bases alongside databases and collaboration.9.2
- EvernoteA broad note-taking workspace for organizing information, tasks, calendars, and documents.9.0
See all Penbook alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Penbook is ranked in 2 of our directories.
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Featured on iTechGuides
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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