Comparison

Writing Wizard vs Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

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

Head to head
About

Writing Wizard

This app helps children learn to trace letters, numbers, and words with a fun, motivating system. It offers customizable tracing practice, interactive games, and progress reports for parents and educators.

Highlights
  • Trace letters, numbers, and words
  • Customizable tracing practice
  • Interactive games and animated stickers
  • Create custom word lists with audio
  • Progress reports for tracking
  • Printable PDF worksheets
Features
Read full description

"Fantastic, customizable tracing practice with fun rewards." 5 Stars - Common Sense Media 500,000+ units sold (including 300,000+ to schools) ! Writing Wizard is designed to help every child learn how to trace letters, numbers, and words through a fun system carefully designed to maintain motivation. • Show and enforce how to trace letters correctly • Letter names and phonics (customizable) • 16 Fonts available (including 3 most popular in the US) • Fun tracing using 50+ animated stickers, sound effects and interactive games that animate letters at the end of tracing • Uppercase & lowercase letters, numbers, and words • Ability to create your own word lists (and record audio for each word) • Fully customizable to suit every child’s needs (letter size, difficulty,...) • Check progress thanks to reports that display what the child has traced • Shapes tracing activity for toddlers • Create PDF Worksheets and print them to help your child to write on paper • Use Apple pencil to write at a very small size All the shapes, the first 7 letters, numbers, and words are free. The remaining letters and the ability to add your own words can be unlocked with a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription. _______ ACCOLADES • "Writing Wizard is the most complete and intelligent letter tracing app we’ve seen"" AppoLearning.com • "This brand-new app should be the go-to for every parent, teacher and therapist to work on handwriting" - TOP PICKS - 5 stars - SmartAppsForKids.com • "Writing Wizard by L’Escapadou is everything a parent wants in a handwriting app, and more." 5/5 - kids-app-reviews.com • "L’Escapadou has made handwriting fun." AppyMall.com 5/5 • Listed in "20 best educational iPhone and iPad apps for kids of 2013" - appsplayground.com • Editor's Choice Award for Excellence in Design - Children's Technology Review _______ PERFECT FOR KIDS Kids want to have fun, and Writing Wizard offers a lot of fun to keep them motivated in the learning process! • They can trace using 50+ animated stickers and sound effects • Once tracing is complete, they can interact with them on 4 games that animate letters • They can trace any word - like their name - and record their voice for each word • They can collect stars in 5-Stars play mode _______ PERFECT FOR PARENTS & TEACHERS • Ability to create your own word lists (and record audio for each word) • Detailed reports provide information on what kids have done, including the ability to replay and export the tracings to view kids' progress • Share word lists via iCloud Drive or other cloud providers, adhoc network, or email • Multiple parameters to customize the app according to the child’s current education level (e.g. letter size, difficulty, show/hide model, allow to stop between key points, etc.) • 3 most popular fonts in the US (ZB, DN & HWT) and 13 international fonts (UK, Scandinavia, Australia, Germany and France) • Upper and lower case letters, numbers (and word lists) • Letter names and letter sounds (which can be customized) • A customizable 5-Stars play mode prompting the child to trace a letter or a word 5 times using different parameters (each step is more challenging) • Create an unlimited number of users • Many settings to customize the app (sound, game time limit, black background,...) • In the A-Z section, special graphics available to match letters (e.g. ant graphic for A/a) _______ Privacy Policy KNOW WHAT'S INSIDE As a Moms with Apps member, we follow the "Know what's inside" best practices for kids’ apps L’Escapadou takes children’s privacy seriously. We believe you should not have to worry about your kids being tracked by apps or websites. This app: • Does not collect any user information (we do not use data collection tools) • External Links : Before accessing a parent section, an operation must be solved so that young kids cannot access it. Terms of use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

Develop pencil control and fine motor skills with interactive worksheets. Supports Apple Pencil, stylus, or even printing for traditional practice. Offers drawing, coloring, and tracing modes with new content added regularly.

Highlights
  • Interactive activity worksheets
  • Printable PDF export
  • Drawing, coloring, and tracing modes
  • Monthly new content
  • Finger, Apple Pencil, and stylus support
Features
Read full description

An application designed for adults and children to develop pencil control and fine motor skills on your iOS device using an Apple Pencil or a stylus. If you don't have a stylus or Apple Pencil, don't worry, you can simply print out the worksheet and use a regular pencil, pen, or felt tip pen. FEATURES * Lots of activity worksheets for adults and children * All worksheets are able to export to PDF format and print. * Drawing, coloring and tracing modes * New activity worksheets added monthly * Fully supports finger, Apple Pencil, and third-party stylus inputs * Premium Access provides unlimited access to the entire library --- PREMIUM ACCESS Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. --- Privacy Policy https://www.sprinnet.com/privacy EULA https://www.sprinnet.com/terms

Screenshots

Writing Wizard4 screens
Modern Handwriting Calligraphy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Writing Wizard and Modern Handwriting Calligraphy both sit at 4.4 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of Writing Wizard's written reviews are positive against 31% of Modern Handwriting Calligraphy's. Writing Wizard also leads on ratings volume (5.2K vs 461). Modern Handwriting Calligraphy's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Writing Wizard sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Modern Handwriting Calligraphy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Writing Wizard against 4.3 for Modern Handwriting Calligraphy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Writing Wizard has 5.2K ratings behind it against 461, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of Writing Wizard's written reviews are positive against 31% of Modern Handwriting Calligraphy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Writing Wizard ships an update every 4 months, Modern Handwriting Calligraphy every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Writing Wizard versus Modern Handwriting Calligraphy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWriting WizardModern Handwriting Calligraphy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (5.2K ratings) — better4.3 (461 ratings)
Positive reviews73.7% of reviews — better30.8% of reviews
Number of ratings5.2K — better461
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPierre AbelSPRINNET

Customer experience

Writing Wizard

All ratings5,184 ratings
Positive84.3%
Neutral6.0%
Negative9.7%
Written reviews209 reviews
Positive73.7%
Neutral6.7%
Negative19.6%

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

All ratings352 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral5.7%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive30.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative69.2%

User reviews

Writing Wizard

From 5.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 User-friendly interface
  • 🚀 Engaging animations
  • 💡 Customizable word lists
  • 👍 Helpful for children with special needs
  • 👍 Effective for improving handwriting

Room to improve

  • 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔒 Paid version not working as expected
  • 💰 Expensive for the limited features

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

From 461 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great app
  • 👍 Good for tracing

Room to improve

  • 💸 Requires subscription for most content
  • 💸 Most features are locked behind paywall
  • 💸 Not worth the money
  • 💸 High pricing
  • 💸 Only one free worksheet

Bugs and requests

Writing Wizard

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when trying to access locked features
  • Purchased content not unlocking properly
  • Inconsistent letter formation guidance

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more letters, numbers, and shapes
  • Allow recording of custom voice instructions
  • Improve compatibility with stylus/digital pens
  • Provide more customization options

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Pencil doesn't work

Requested features

2 requests
  • More spelling lessons
  • Make more content

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Writing Wizard

Subscriptions1
  • Full Access - Monthly$2.491 Month
One-time3
  • All Letters and Numbers$5.99
  • Add Your Words and Word Lists$5.99
  • Lifetime Full Access$9.99
8 purchases

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

Subscriptions7
  • Weekly Premium3 Days trial$1.997 Days
  • Premium Access$3.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$4.991 Month
Show 4 more
  • Premium7 Days trial$9.993 Months
  • Premium7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Annual Premium7 Days trial$32.991 Year
  • Annual Access7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • One time payment$44.99

Questions

Is Writing Wizard free?
Writing Wizard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Modern Handwriting Calligraphy free?
Modern Handwriting Calligraphy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Writing Wizard or Modern Handwriting Calligraphy?
Writing Wizard is rated higher. Writing Wizard averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Modern Handwriting Calligraphy averages 4.3 from 461 ratings.
Do Writing Wizard or Modern Handwriting Calligraphy have ads?
Neither Writing Wizard nor Modern Handwriting Calligraphy shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Writing Wizard or Modern Handwriting Calligraphy?
Writing Wizard ships an update every 4 months, and Modern Handwriting Calligraphy every 2 months. Most recently, Writing Wizard was updated on November 6, 2026 and Modern Handwriting Calligraphy on November 7, 2026.

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