# WhatTheFont vs Pattern Type

The clearest difference is rating: Pattern Type at 5.0 against WhatTheFont's 2.4. Pattern Type also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.5). WhatTheFont's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (588 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pattern Type sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. WhatTheFont asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pattern Type holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: WhatTheFont has 588 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

WhatTheFont ships an update every 4 months, Pattern Type every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WhatTheFont | Pattern Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (588 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatthefont/id304304134/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-type/id858092842/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **588** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 35.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MyFonts Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/304304137) | [TinkaTinka](https://appshunter.io/developer/505803809) |

## What reviewers say

### WhatTheFont

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whatthefont/id304304134)

Instantly identify fonts from images. Simply upload a photo of a design, and this app will recognize the fonts and suggest matches. It's ideal for designers, crafters, and anyone curious about typography, helping you discover and try out new fonts.

**Highlights:** Identify fonts from photos, Suggests font matches, Type custom text in found fonts, Browse similar fonts, Font inspiration and learning

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate font identification
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 💡 Helpful for designers and font enthusiasts
- 🚀 Fast and responsive
- 👍 Useful tool for finding similar fonts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent performance and reliability
- 🐛 Inability to identify certain fonts
- 🐛 Connectivity issues and server errors
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Poor character recognition

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to accept terms and conditions
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Endless loading and search failures
- Corrupted image uploads
- Incorrect font identification and suggestions

**Requested features**

- Ability to save identified fonts
- Option to search for free font alternatives
- Improved cropping and text selection tools
- Landscape mode support
- Better font database and matching algorithms


### Pattern Type

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-type/id858092842)

Design unique patterns and generate custom typefaces composed of these patterns. Create geometric, caps-only fonts for personal or commercial use. Save and share your font creations with an intuitive graphical interface.

**Highlights:** Pattern design tools, Typeface generation, Geometric font creation, Caps-only typefaces, Save and share designs, Private and commercial licenses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Font (private use) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade license | $15.99 | one-time |
| Font (commercial use) | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WhatTheFont free?

WhatTheFont is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pattern Type free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WhatTheFont or Pattern Type?

Pattern Type is rated higher. WhatTheFont averages 2.4 out of 5 from 588 ratings, while Pattern Type averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do WhatTheFont or Pattern Type have ads?

Neither WhatTheFont nor Pattern Type shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WhatTheFont or Pattern Type?

WhatTheFont ships an update every 4 months, and Pattern Type every 3 months. Most recently, WhatTheFont was updated on October 12, 2026 and Pattern Type on September 24, 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.*