# Handwriting Lettering Practice vs Journal

The clearest difference is rating: Journal at 4.6 against Handwriting Lettering Practice's 2.1. Journal also leads on review sentiment (90% vs 55%) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 35). Handwriting Lettering Practice's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Handwriting Lettering Practice sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Journal sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Journal holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Journal has 1.8K ratings behind it against 35, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Handwriting Lettering Practice's written reviews are positive against 90% of Journal's.

Handwriting Lettering Practice ships an update every 3 weeks, Journal every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handwriting Lettering Practice | Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.1 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-lettering-practice/id1541520267/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **1.8K** |
| Positive reviews | 54.5% of reviews | **89.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 81 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meital Goor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477741177) | [受杰 柯](https://appshunter.io/developer/1634142370) |

## What reviewers say

### Handwriting Lettering Practice

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-lettering-practice/id1541520267)

Improve your handwriting and learn lettering styles with guided practice and tutorials. This app simplifies the learning curve for adults and children to achieve neat, legible writing and develop a unique personal style. Enjoy a relaxing and motivating experience with proven methods and insider tips.

**Highlights:** Improve handwriting skills, Learn unique writing styles, Tracing practice with worksheets, Cursive handwriting tricks, Bullet journal perfect handwriting, Insider tips and hacks, Video tutorials on techniques

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Writing Audiobook | $1.99 | one-time |
| Writing Videos Offer | $2.99 | one-time |
| Writing Full eBook | $2.99 | one-time |
| Writing AD Free | $2.99 | one-time |
| Writing Videos + Ad Free | $4.99 | one-time |
| Writing All Secrets | $14.99 | one-time |


### Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/journal-diary-and-planner/id6443840608)

This app allows users to create a personal diary with a variety of cute stickers and backgrounds. It offers automatic saving of drafts, password protection for privacy, and the ability to insert photos. The app is also optimized for iPad use.

**Highlights:** Customizable stickers and backgrounds, Automatic draft saving, Password protection for privacy, iPad support with Apple Pencil, Photo insertion for diary entries

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus Version | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus Version | $4.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Version | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💖 Cute and aesthetic design
- 📚 Helpful for journaling and planning
- 🎨 Customizable backgrounds and stickers
- 👍 Easy to use and organize
- 🥰 Fun and enjoyable experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Limited free features, many paid options
- 🔑 Issues with login/access
- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 📝 Limited font/formatting options

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to reopen saved pages
- Stickers not displaying properly in some cases
- Sync issues causing data loss

**Requested features**

- Add more free stickers and customization options
- Improve syncing and backup functionality
- Allow creating custom backgrounds and stickers
- Introduce a dark mode option


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handwriting Lettering Practice free?

Handwriting Lettering Practice is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Journal free?

Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Handwriting Lettering Practice or Journal?

Journal is rated higher. Handwriting Lettering Practice averages 2.1 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while Journal averages 4.6 from 1.8K ratings.

### Do Handwriting Lettering Practice or Journal have ads?

Both Handwriting Lettering Practice and Journal show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Handwriting Lettering Practice or Journal?

Handwriting Lettering Practice ships an update every 3 weeks, and Journal every 6 weeks. Most recently, Handwriting Lettering Practice was updated on November 3, 2026 and Journal on November 12, 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.*