# Primary Writer vs iTrace

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | Primary Writer | iTrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primary-writer/id532878729/reviews) | **[4.4 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itrace-handwriting-practice/id645416621/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **76.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 130 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.1 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Winztech Services LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1806835062) | [DEVPOCKET LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1316880489) |

## What reviewers say

### Primary Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primary-writer/id532878729)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Animals 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Valentine Fun | $0.99 | one-time |
| Halloween Treat | $0.99 | one-time |
| Spring Faves | $0.99 | one-time |
| We Love Mom | $0.99 | one-time |
| We Love Dad | $0.99 | one-time |
| Summertime | $0.99 | one-time |
| Christmas | $0.99 | one-time |


### iTrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itrace-handwriting-practice/id645416621)

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:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| iTrace Monthly Subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| Unlock Premium Features | $3.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime purchase | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Positive feedback and achievement tracking
- 👍 Excellent visual feedback and positive reinforcement
- 👍 Multi-user support for different learning speeds
- 👍 Perfect blend of learning and play
- 👍 Makes handwriting fun with rewards and stickers

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 In-app purchases required to unlock additional content
- 🐛 Sound not working for some users
- 🐛 Family sharing not working properly
- 🐛 Strict letter formation requirements can be frustrating for beginners

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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