# Modern Handwriting Calligraphy vs Cursive

The clearest difference is ads: Modern Handwriting Calligraphy at none against Cursive's shown. Cursive's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 31%) and ratings volume (4.9K vs 352). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Modern Handwriting Calligraphy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days 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 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cursive has 4.9K ratings behind it against 352, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Modern Handwriting Calligraphy's written reviews are positive against 65% of Cursive's.

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy ships an update every 2 months, Cursive every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Modern Handwriting Calligraphy | Cursive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (352 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/modern-handwriting-calligraphy/id1620416791/reviews) | **[4.5 (4.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-learn-cursive/id1643464145/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 352 | **4.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **65.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 66 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SPRINNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/747827913) | [enoiu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1595987496) |

## What reviewers say

### Modern Handwriting Calligraphy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/modern-handwriting-calligraphy/id1620416791)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly Premium | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $9.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium | $19.99 | per year |
| Annual Premium | $32.99 | per year |
| Annual Access | $34.99 | per year |
| One time payment | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Good for tracing

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Pencil doesn't work

**Requested features**

- More spelling lessons
- Make more content


### 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 Modern Handwriting Calligraphy free?

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy 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, Modern Handwriting Calligraphy or Cursive?

Cursive is rated higher. Modern Handwriting Calligraphy averages 4.3 out of 5 from 352 ratings, while Cursive averages 4.5 from 4.9K ratings.

### Do Modern Handwriting Calligraphy or Cursive have ads?

Cursive shows ads; Modern Handwriting Calligraphy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Modern Handwriting Calligraphy or Cursive?

Modern Handwriting Calligraphy ships an update every 2 months, and Cursive every 5 weeks. Most recently, Modern Handwriting Calligraphy was updated on October 13, 2026 and Cursive on October 14, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*