Comparison

Primary Writer vs iTrace

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

Head to head
About

Primary Writer

This app allows children and adults to create and customize stories with various backgrounds and colors. Once complete, users can share their creations as PDFs or print them directly from their iPad.

Highlights
  • Story writing interface
  • Customizable paper backgrounds
  • Color customization options
  • PDF export
  • AirPrint direct printing
  • Kid-friendly design
Features
Read full description

Primary Writer is an app for kids (or the kid at heart) who like to write. Write your story, choose your paper's background and further customize the look with color and other choices. When you're done, you can share the pdf version of your creation to your friends or relatives. If you have access to an AirPrint printing device, you can print it out directly from your iPad.

About

iTrace

This app helps children learn to write letters, numbers, words, and shapes through guided tracing and playful repetition. It's designed for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary students to develop handwriting skills and fine-motor control in an engaging way.

Highlights
  • Guided letter and number tracing
  • Print and cursive writing
  • Custom word lists with photos/voice
  • Multiple handwriting styles
  • Progress tracking
  • Printable worksheets
  • Rewards and mini-games
Features
Read full description

iTRACE — HANDWRITING AND LETTER TRACING FOR CLASSROOMS AND HOME LEARNING iTrace helps children learn to write letters, numbers, words, and shapes through guided tracing and playful repetition. Designed with educators, it turns handwriting practice into an engaging and effective learning experience for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary students. Each exercise teaches proper letter formation and fine-motor control step by step. Children trace each shape or letter multiple times, building confidence through repetition, gradual improvement, and positive reinforcement. The app adapts to each child’s pace, helping develop strong handwriting habits that transfer to pencil-and-paper writing. iTrace is suitable for both classroom use and learning at home, supporting structured instruction as well as independent practice. KEY FEATURES • Basic shapes for handwriting warm-up • Uppercase and lowercase letters • Numbers 0–9 • Print (block) and cursive writing • 350+ preloaded words plus custom word lists • Create custom words with your own photos and voice recordings • Multiple handwriting styles: Zaner-Bloser, Handwriting Without Tears, and D’Nealian • Left- and right-handed modes • Progress tracking for each student • Rewards, animations, and mini-games that motivate practice • 5 animated scenes with 50+ interactive objects • Printable worksheets for offline practice • Supports English and Spanish alphabets for handwriting practice • Safe, ad-free learning environment FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS iTrace for Schools makes it easy to support multiple students, personalize learning goals, and monitor progress over time. It works well in classrooms, homeschool settings, and early-childhood programs focused on handwriting, tracing, and fine-motor development. Consistent structure and clear guidance help children practice correct stroke order and letter formation—skills that are essential for long-term writing success. FREE VERSION & SUBSCRIPTION The free version includes all handwriting warm-up exercises, three letters, and one interactive scene, allowing children to experience the core learning approach of iTrace. A subscription unlocks the full program, including all letters and numbers, additional scenes, and custom words. PRIVATE AND SECURE No ads. No personal data collected or shared. PRIVACY POLICY: https://itraceapp.com/privacy-policy.html TERMS OF USE: https://itraceapp.com/terms-of-use.html

Screenshots

iTrace4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iTrace at 4.4 against Primary Writer's 3.7. iTrace also leads on ratings volume (2.5K vs 3). Primary Writer's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.1). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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. Primary Writer sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and iTrace sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iTrace holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iTrace has 2.5K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Primary Writer's written reviews are positive against 76% of iTrace's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Primary Writer versus iTrace: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPrimary WriteriTrace
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (3 ratings)4.4 (2.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews76.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings32.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.1
Further details — not scored
Size130 MB173 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperWinztech Services LLCDEVPOCKET LLC

Customer experience

Primary Writer

All ratings3 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

iTrace

All ratings2,454 ratings
Positive83.7%
Neutral8.8%
Negative7.5%
Written reviews135 reviews
Positive76.3%
Neutral3.7%
Negative20.0%

Bugs and requests

Primary Writer

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

iTrace

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sound not working after updates
  • Inability to restore purchases on multiple devices
  • Incorrect letter formation displayed in the app

Requested features

4 requests
  • Option to adjust difficulty/letter formation requirements
  • Ability to connect cursive letters
  • Addition of lowercase letters in the free version
  • Ability to set number of letter repetitions

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Primary Writer

One-time8
  • Animals 1$0.99
  • Valentine Fun$0.99
  • Halloween Treat$0.99
Show 5 more
  • Spring Faves$0.99
  • We Love Mom$0.99
  • We Love Dad$0.99
  • Summertime$0.99
  • Christmas$0.99
3 purchases

iTrace

Subscriptions1
  • iTrace Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
One-time2
  • Unlock Premium Features$3.99
  • Lifetime purchase$19.99

Questions

Is Primary Writer free?
Primary Writer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is iTrace free?
iTrace is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Primary Writer or iTrace?
iTrace is rated higher. Primary Writer averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while iTrace averages 4.4 from 2.5K ratings.
Do Primary Writer or iTrace have ads?
Neither Primary Writer nor iTrace shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Primary Writer or iTrace?
Primary Writer ships an update every 2 months, and iTrace every 2 months. Most recently, Primary Writer was updated on October 3, 2026 and iTrace on October 15, 2026.

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