# Cursive Writing vs iTrace

The clearest difference is ads: iTrace at none against Cursive Writing's shown. iTrace also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and rating (4.4 vs 4.1). Cursive Writing's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.1). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cursive Writing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.2K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Cursive Writing's written reviews are positive against 76% of iTrace's.

Cursive Writing ships an update every 11 months, iTrace every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cursive Writing | iTrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.1 (2.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-writing/id612497395/reviews) | **[4.4 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/itrace-handwriting-practice/id645416621/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.2K | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | **76.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 19 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horizon Business, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/431586531) | [DEVPOCKET LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1316880489) |

## 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


### 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 Cursive Writing free?

Cursive Writing 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, Cursive Writing or iTrace?

iTrace is rated higher. Cursive Writing averages 4.1 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while iTrace averages 4.4 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do Cursive Writing or iTrace have ads?

Cursive Writing shows ads; iTrace does not.

### Which is updated more often, Cursive Writing or iTrace?

Cursive Writing ships an update every 11 months, and iTrace every 2 months. Most recently, Cursive Writing was updated on October 10, 2026 and iTrace on October 15, 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.*