Play n' Trace vs Manuscript
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Play n' Trace
This app enhances an electronic writing tablet for children aged 3-10, offering interactive games and lessons. It uses the tablet's translucent surface for tracing, writing, and learning activities, developed with child development experts.
- Interactive learning games
- Tracing activities
- Progressive lesson levels
- Child development focus
- Doodle and write functionality
- Clear screen with button press
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Boogie Board® Play n’ Trace™ is an award-winning electronic writing tablet that lets kids doodle, write, and learn by tracing! The free Play n’ Trace app enhances the Play n’ Trace experience with fun games and learning activities. The Play n' Trace app allows kids 3+ to have fun while learning, using the writing tablet’s first of its kind translucent writing surface to write, play games, and even learn feelings. Simply select a lesson, choose a level, and place the Play n' Trace over the iPad to begin. Six key lessons, each with 3 levels of development, create a variety of fun areas for kids ages 3 to 10 to explore and grow. Simply write, draw, or create and start over with the press of a button. When kids write they learn! Lesson content was developed in conjunction with Excellent Play, a global leader in scientific research and knowledge about play, learning, and child development. FEEDBACK OR HELP? E-mail us anytime at support@kentdisplays.com Requires use of a Play n’ Trace writing tablet, sold separately in stores.
Manuscript
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Tracing on a screen only goes so far: at school, your child writes with a pencil. Manuscript closes that loop. Your child practices each letter with guided tracing, then prints a sheet, writes it with a real pencil and photographs it. The app reads their handwriting and shows exactly which letters need work. Printing and scanning are free and unlimited. TODAY'S PLAN Five minutes a day: a warm-up, today's letter and a game. Clear steps, a clear finish, and a streak that rewards showing up. FEEDBACK THAT TEACHES Careful tracing earns the score it deserves. When something is off, your child hears one specific thing to change: a missing line, a stroke that went the wrong way, or part of the letter still empty. THE 8-WEEK JOURNEY Strokes, then tall letters, curves, tricky pairs like b and d, sizing and sight words, finishing with your child writing their own name. Each week can be printed and practiced on paper too. FOR PARENTS One plain message each week: what your child did, what to watch, and one thing to try together. Plus a printable progress report for their teacher. PRIVACY YOU CAN CHECK Everything stays on your devices and syncs only through your own iCloud. No accounts, no third-party trackers, no ads, no data sales. The Privacy Center shows what the app has recorded and lets you erase it. MADE FOR EVERY FAMILY • iPhone and iPad, with one subscription for both • 30 languages, including Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Spanish and Bengali • Four school handwriting styles and a left-handed mode • Apple Pencil or finger, larger touch targets and full Dynamic Type MANUSCRIPT+ Weeks 2–8 of the journey, the teacher report, Family Pen Pal, Cursive Bridge, spelling plans, custom decks and unlimited children. 7-day free trial; cancel anytime. No leaderboards, no social comparison, no ads. Terms: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://doc-hosting.flycricket.io/manuscript-privacy-policy/0025e10c-7565-4008-bbd2-9a70b6f1e9e9/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Play n' Trace at none against Manuscript's 7. Play n' Trace also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 26.0). Manuscript's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 18 months). 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
Both are free to download. Manuscript sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Play n' Trace asks for nothing beyond the download.
Play n' Trace ships an update every 18 months, Manuscript every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Play n' Trace | Manuscript |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (5 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 5 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 18 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 265 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Buffalo Games, LLC | Junaid Khan |
In-app purchases
Play n' Trace
No in-app purchases
Manuscript
- Manuscript+$5.991 Month
- Manuscript+7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Pencil Sharpener$2.99
- Gold Star$4.99
- Apple for Teacher$9.99
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- Standing Ovation$19.99
- Manuscript+ Lifetime$139.99
Questions
Is Play n' Trace free?
Is Manuscript free?
Do Play n' Trace or Manuscript have ads?
Which is updated more often, Play n' Trace or Manuscript?
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