# DJI Ronin vs Hand Slate

The clearest difference is price: DJI Ronin at Free against Hand Slate's $4.99. DJI Ronin also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 16 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.2). Hand Slate's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 30%). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

DJI Ronin is free to download; Hand Slate costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

DJI Ronin ships an update every 2 months, Hand Slate every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DJI Ronin | Hand Slate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (8.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dji-ronin/id1282848185/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **8.2K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 29.8% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 16 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 320 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.2 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DJI](https://appshunter.io/developer/599957686) | [庆猛 邓](https://appshunter.io/developer/620435580) |

## What reviewers say

### DJI Ronin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dji-ronin/id1282848185)

Control and customize your DJI gimbal with this app. Features include automated motor tuning, adaptive motion tracking, pre-planned shot creation, and real-time gimbal data. Optimize your filmmaking workflow with advanced settings and diagnostics.

**Highlights:** Automated motor tuning, Adaptive SmoothTrack motion, CamAnchor and Track mode, Live gimbal data feed, Gimbal parameter management

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy setup and calibration
- 🚀 Responsive controls
- 💡 Useful features like Force Mobile and Motion Lapse
- 👍 Beginner-friendly
- 👍 Stable performance with Ronin SC and Ronin RS2 Pro

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues, frequent disconnections
- 🐛 Buggy app with crashes and glitches
- 🐛 Difficult registration and password reset process
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with newer devices and iOS 14
- 🐛 Lacking key features like camera control and full-screen mode on iPad

**Reported bugs**

- Firmware update gets stuck at 80%
- Ronin SC motor issues after firmware update
- Raveneye not working with app, no video feed
- Active track loses subject when they exit and re-enter frame
- Panorama function broken with additive overlap

**Requested features**

- Add anamorphic de-squeeze options
- Allow storing manual focus settings with motion presets
- Implement dual device usage for active track and gimbal configuration
- Add loop/repeat function for keyframes
- Enable focus control in keyframe mode


### Hand Slate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hand-slate/id6738000404)

This app offers a digital clapperboard experience with freehand writing capabilities. Utilize pen and pencil brushes with various colors and easily erase or clear your notes. A lock feature prevents accidental edits, and multiple style modes personalize the interface.

**Highlights:** Digital clapperboard functionality, Freehand writing with pen/pencil, 10 color options, Eraser and clear canvas, Undo/redo actions, Editing lock feature, Nine style modes

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DJI Ronin free?

DJI Ronin is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hand Slate free?

Hand Slate costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do DJI Ronin or Hand Slate have ads?

Neither DJI Ronin nor Hand Slate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DJI Ronin or Hand Slate?

DJI Ronin ships an update every 2 months, and Hand Slate every 16 months. Most recently, DJI Ronin was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hand Slate on October 20, 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.*