Comparison

Tayasui Calligraphy vs DrawBuddy

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

Head to head
About

Tayasui Calligraphy

Create beautiful calligraphy with realistic ink pens and brushes on your device. This app offers precise customization of drawing tools and an intuitive interface for elegant line work. Optimized for stylus input, it provides a smooth and detailed artistic experience.

Highlights
  • Realistic ink pens and brushes
  • Customizable tool settings
  • Intuitive and minimal interface
  • Optimized for stylus input
  • Elegant line and curve drawing
Features
Read full description

The most beautiful calligraphy ink pen and brush is available on any devices. Drawing harmonious curves and elegant lines has never been easier. With all our knowledge developed over the past 8 years on Tayasui Sketches, we crafted the most delicate and realistic pens and ink brushes. Featuring a very intuitive, slick and minimal interface. Pens, brushes and erasers can be customised very precisely in inclination, texture and size for a remarkable result. Tayasui Calligraphy is fully optimised for Apple Pencil, for even more accurate and detailed results. Subscribe to access to premium app features; subscription details are the following: - Length: monthly, yearly - Your payment will be charged to your iTunes Account as soon as you confirm your purchase - You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal from your Account Settings after the purchase - Your subscription will renew automatically, unless you turn off auto-renew at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - The cost of renewal will be charged to your account in the 24 hours prior to the end of the current period - When canceling a subscription, your subscription will stay active until the end of the period. Auto-renewal will be disabled, but the current subscription will not be refunded - Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when purchasing a subscription Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

DrawBuddy

Learn to draw with step-by-step tutorials and guides designed for artists of all levels. Enhance your digital art skills using Apple Pencil with a variety of drawing categories. Practice on the go with quick draw options and create masterpieces.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step drawing tutorials
  • Digital art creation
  • Apple Pencil support
  • Quick draw practice
  • Multiple drawing categories
  • Skill enhancement for beginners and professionals
Features
Read full description

This drawing app for iPad is the perfect tool for artists of all the levels to create a stunning digital art. With the use of the Apple Pencil, users can easily learn how to draw and develop their skills with the help of the art drawing tutorials and step-by-step guides. The app also features quick draw options for those who want to practice their skills on the go. Drawing lessons are available for users to improve their techniques and create masterpieces. Whether you're a beginner or a professional, this digital drawing app will provide everything you need to enhance your artistic abilities. The app offers a range of categories for drawing, including: • Architecture • Home Interior • Celebrities • People • Artists • Animals • Landscapes • Nature • Dinosaurs • Children • And others Download our drawing app for iPad and don’t forget to share it with your friends on social media or messengers. The app contains the following subscription options: • A 1-month membership costs from $6.99 • A 3-month membership costs from $12.99. • A 1-year membership costs from $29.99 after a 7-day free trial. The price is for US customers. Pricing in other countries may vary, and actual charges may be converted to your local currency, depending on the country of residence. Payment will be charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. The account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period and will 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 the free trial will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription. • Privacy Policy: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/privacy-policy • EULA: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/eula • Terms of use: https://tappa.tech/drawbuddy/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Tayasui Calligraphy4 screens
DrawBuddy4 screens

Verdict

The call

Tayasui Calligraphy and DrawBuddy both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 57% of Tayasui Calligraphy's written reviews are positive against 19% of DrawBuddy's. Tayasui Calligraphy also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). DrawBuddy's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Tayasui Calligraphy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and DrawBuddy sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 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 — 4.3 for Tayasui Calligraphy against 4.4 for DrawBuddy. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 251 and 479 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Tayasui Calligraphy's written reviews are positive against 19% of DrawBuddy's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tayasui Calligraphy ships an update monthly, DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Tayasui Calligraphy versus DrawBuddy: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTayasui CalligraphyDrawBuddy
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (251 ratings)4.4 (479 ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.8% of reviews — better19.0% of reviews
Number of ratings251479 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB42 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSKETCHES SRLBohdan Hlushko

Customer experience

Tayasui Calligraphy

All ratings251 ratings
Positive80.9%
Neutral6.0%
Negative13.1%
Written reviews148 reviews
Positive56.8%
Neutral11.5%
Negative31.8%

DrawBuddy

All ratings479 ratings
Positive83.5%
Neutral4.4%
Negative12.1%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive19.0%
Neutral9.5%
Negative71.4%

User reviews

Tayasui Calligraphy

From 251 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Beautiful and simple design
  • ✍️ Realistic ink simulation
  • 🎨 Great for calligraphy and sketching
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🌟 High-quality art app

Room to improve

  • 💸 Shift to subscription model
  • 🔒 Features locked behind subscription
  • 💰 Previously purchased features now paid
  • 👎 Unnatural UI
  • 😩 Useless without subscription

DrawBuddy

From 479 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Amazing drawings
  • 👍 Good app for drawing
  • 👍 Great app potential

Room to improve

  • 💰 Requires payment for basic features
  • 💰 Free trial issues
  • 💰 Unexpected charges
  • 💰 App not free
  • 💰 Expensive subscription

Bugs and requests

Tayasui Calligraphy

Reported bugs

22 issues
  • Accidentally undoing when moving canvas
  • App freezes with an error
  • Default pen size is impractically large
  • Difficulty panning without accidentally undoing
  • No way to configure pen to only write
Show 17 more
  • Accidentally delete all layers and app gets stuck
  • App freezes when selecting new paper
  • Lost all calligraphy drawings after reinstall
  • Lost custom colors
  • iCloud backup not working
  • End swish/mark never thins out
  • Auto orientation issues
  • Saves portrait work as landscape
  • Crashes every now and then
  • Lag on iPad 7th Gen
  • No option to add layers
  • Loses work if left app for a few minutes
  • App restarts when returning
  • Bad lag
  • Hand triggers brush unintentionally
  • Zooming is buggy
  • App crashes when editing pen settings

Requested features

22 requests
  • Add photos/files for tracing
  • Turn off gestures
  • Resize canvas
  • Import image as a layer or background
  • Select, move, copy & paste letterforms
Show 17 more
  • Drop shadows
  • Two or three color gradient brushes
  • Metallic looking inks
  • Apply and change colors/effects after drawing
  • Animation layers/timeline
  • More lessons on calligraphy
  • Duplication of drawings
  • More options to adjust brushes
  • Move canvas like Procreate
  • More papers, guides, and snapping
  • Stamping and rake of brush
  • Cut and paste functionality
  • Selection tool
  • More Apple Pencil compatibility (double-tap)
  • Pressure sensitivity on black letter brush
  • Save to camera roll
  • Clean white background option

DrawBuddy

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Video not playing during free trial
  • Payment pop-ups prevent drawing
  • Charged full month instead of trial

Requested features

4 requests
  • More drawing options
  • More pictures/drawings
  • Make the app free
  • Add pencil tool back

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Tayasui Calligraphy

Subscriptions10
  • Weekly premium7 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Weekly premium$2.997 Days
  • Monthly premium$2.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Monthly premium7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Weekly premium7 Days trial$3.997 Days
  • Weekly premium$3.997 Days
  • Yearly premium$9.991 Year
  • Yearly premium7 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Yearly premium$69.991 Year
  • Yearly premium7 Days trial$69.991 Year
11 purchases

DrawBuddy

Subscriptions10
  • Weekly subscription$6.997 Days
  • Monthly subscription3 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Weekly subscription3 Days trial$9.997 Days
Show 7 more
  • Monthly subscription$12.991 Month
  • Three month subscription7 Days trial$19.993 Months
  • Monthly subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Annual subscription$39.991 Year
  • Annual subscription7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Annual subscription14 Days trial$69.991 Year
One-time1
  • Unlimited Access$79.99

Questions

Is Tayasui Calligraphy free?
Tayasui Calligraphy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DrawBuddy free?
DrawBuddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tayasui Calligraphy or DrawBuddy?
DrawBuddy is rated higher. Tayasui Calligraphy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 251 ratings, while DrawBuddy averages 4.4 from 479 ratings.
Do Tayasui Calligraphy or DrawBuddy have ads?
Tayasui Calligraphy shows ads; DrawBuddy does not.
Which is updated more often, Tayasui Calligraphy or DrawBuddy?
Tayasui Calligraphy ships an update monthly, and DrawBuddy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tayasui Calligraphy was updated on September 26, 2026 and DrawBuddy on September 23, 2026.

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