# Handwriting Success vs Cursive

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cursive at 65% against Handwriting Success's 28%. Cursive also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.1) and ratings volume (4.9K vs 226). Handwriting Success's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Handwriting Success sells 33 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Cursive sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cursive holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cursive has 4.9K ratings behind it against 226, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of Handwriting Success's written reviews are positive against 65% of Cursive's.

Handwriting Success ships an update every 3 weeks, Cursive every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Handwriting Success | Cursive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-success/id1546769347/reviews) | **[4.5 (4.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-learn-cursive/id1643464145/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 226 | **4.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 27.8% of reviews | **65.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 157 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Handwriting Success, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494157891) | [enoiu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595987496) |

## What reviewers say

### Handwriting Success

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-success/id1546769347)

This app brings a popular handwriting program to your tablet, offering digital workbooks for instruction and practice. Users can write, erase, and practice repeatedly with customizable pen tools. It's designed for students, adults, and professionals seeking legible, modern handwriting.

**Highlights:** Interactive digital workbooks, Customizable pen color, width, and opacity, Digital eraser for repeated practice, Screen rotation and pinch-zoom, Bookmark creation, Screenshot sharing for teachers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (33)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Book E Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Book D Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Book C Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Book B Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Book A Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Book E Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book D Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book G Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book C Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book A Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book B Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| Book F Monthly (Legacy) | $2.99 | per month |
| WRITE NOW Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| WRITE NOW Monthly (Legacy) | $3.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book D Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book A Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book B Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book C Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book G Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| Book A Annual (Legacy) | $8.99 | per year |
| Book E Annual Subscription | $8.99 | per year |
| WRITE NOW Annual Subscription | $12.99 | per year |
| WRITE NOW Annual (Legacy) | $12.99 | per year |
| Handwriting curriculum age 5-6 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 6-7 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 7-8 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 8-9 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 9+ | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 10+ | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum age 11+ | $8.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting Success for adults | $12.99 | one-time |
| Handwriting curriculum manual | $12.99 | one-time |


### Cursive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-learn-cursive/id1643464145)

Practice cursive handwriting by tracing letters and words. Supports multiple languages with special characters and custom word additions. Offers extensive customization for a personalized learning experience.

**Highlights:** Trace to practice cursive, Uppercase and lowercase letters, Animated stroke order, Multi-language support, Custom word practice, Adjustable pen and font settings, Dark mode and theme customization

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Pro version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ❤️ Helps improve handwriting
- 🎨 Customizable themes
- 🏆 Effective for learning cursive
- 🕰️ Useful for practicing letters, words, and months
- 📝 Enables writing practice

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and buggy
- 💸 Excessive ads and paywalls
- 📵 Deletes writing progress
- 🚫 Inappropriate content for children
- 🖌️ Difficult to use with fingers

**Reported bugs**

- Writing input not responsive
- Frequent app crashes
- Unexpected pop-ups and notifications
- Compatibility issues with certain devices
- Loss of writing progress

**Requested features**

- Provide feedback on writing performance
- Add more customization options
- Improve writing experience with better tools
- Expand content beyond just letters and words
- Reduce ads and paywall restrictions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Handwriting Success free?

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

### Is Cursive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Handwriting Success or Cursive?

Cursive is rated higher. Handwriting Success averages 4.1 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while Cursive averages 4.5 from 4.9K ratings.

### Do Handwriting Success or Cursive have ads?

Cursive shows ads; Handwriting Success does not.

### Which is updated more often, Handwriting Success or Cursive?

Handwriting Success ships an update every 3 weeks, and Cursive every 5 weeks. Most recently, Handwriting Success was updated on September 13, 2026 and Cursive on September 22, 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.*