# Cursive Writing vs Handwriting Success

Cursive Writing and Handwriting Success both sit at 4.1 stars, but that hides the real split: 69% of Cursive Writing's written reviews are positive against 26% of Handwriting Success's. Cursive Writing also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 234) and device support (3 vs 1). Handwriting Success's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.1 for Cursive Writing against 4.0 for Handwriting Success. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cursive Writing has 2.2K ratings behind it against 234, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Cursive Writing's written reviews are positive against 26% of Handwriting Success's.

Cursive Writing ships an update every 11 months, Handwriting Success every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cursive Writing | Handwriting Success |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.1 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-writing/id612497395/reviews)** | [4.0 (234 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-success/id1546769347/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.2K** | 234 |
| Positive reviews | **68.8% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 157 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horizon Business, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431586531) | [Handwriting Success, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1494157891) |

## What reviewers say

### Cursive Writing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-writing/id612497395)

Practice cursive handwriting with this educational app. It offers a game-like experience to help users master cursive writing through interactive practice. Customize settings to tailor the learning process.

**Highlights:** Cursive writing practice, Game-like learning experience, Customizable settings, Mastery-focused gameplay, Family-friendly education

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use for beginners
- 🚀 Helps improve cursive writing skills
- 💰 Free with no ads
- 🎨 Customizable pen color and line settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔁 Repetitive and boring after a while
- 🤔 Lacks feedback on performance
- 🔠 Only teaches individual letters, not words or sentences
- 🎨 Some letter styles don't match traditional cursive

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional glitches and freezes
- Compatibility issues on larger tablet screens

**Requested features**

- Add practice for cursive words and sentences
- Implement performance tracking and feedback
- Offer different cursive writing style options
- Introduce mini-games or challenges to make it more engaging


### 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 |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great handwriting resource
- 👍 Improves handwriting
- 👍 Engaging for children
- 👍 Good for adult learners
- 👍 Helpful tips and workshops

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Expensive in-app purchases
- 💸 Subscription required for use
- 💸 Misleading advertising (free app)
- 💸 Paid content lost after update
- 💸 Duplicate pricing (app vs. workbooks)

**Reported bugs**

- Restore button not working
- Lost purchased content after update
- Content inaccessible after purchase

**Requested features**

- Make app usable without immediate payment
- Disclose purchase requirements before download
- Allow users to try full app before buying
- Make app compatible with VoiceOver
- Provide PDF versions of books


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cursive Writing free?

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

### Is Handwriting Success free?

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

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

Cursive Writing is rated higher. Cursive Writing averages 4.1 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Handwriting Success averages 4.0 from 234 ratings.

### Do Cursive Writing or Handwriting Success have ads?

Cursive Writing shows ads; Handwriting Success does not.

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

Cursive Writing ships an update every 11 months, and Handwriting Success every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cursive Writing was updated on October 23, 2026 and Handwriting Success on October 27, 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.*