# Cursive Words vs Handwriting Success

The clearest difference is ads: Handwriting Success at none against Cursive Words's shown. Handwriting Success also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 12 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Cursive Words's advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 26%) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cursive Words sells 2 one-off in-app purchases 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.

Handwriting Success holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 353 and 233 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of Cursive Words's written reviews are positive against 26% of Handwriting Success's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Cursive Words ships an update every 12 months, Handwriting Success every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cursive Words | Handwriting Success |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (353 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-words/id733706995/reviews) | **[4.0 (233 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/handwriting-success/id1546769347/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **353** | 233 |
| Positive reviews | **57.0% of reviews** | 26.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 12 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 15 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 Words

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cursive-words/id733706995)

Practice cursive writing with this educational app designed for families. Customize settings to tailor the learning experience and play until mastery is achieved.  It's a fun way to improve handwriting skills.

**Highlights:** Cursive writing practice, Family-friendly, Customizable settings, Mastery-based gameplay, Educational tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

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

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning cursive
- 🤩 Great for practicing cursive writing
- 💕 Enjoyable and fun to use
- ✨ Smooth brush stroke
- 🆓 Completely free with no ads

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙏 Needs more words and longer words
- ❌ Doesn't check if writing is correct
- 💻 Harder to use on electronic devices vs paper
- 🥱 Can get repetitive and boring
- 🤔 Lacks different difficulty levels

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or stops working after a few days of use
- Occasional freezing or unresponsiveness

**Requested features**

- Add uppercase letters and more advanced words
- Implement feedback/correction on writing
- Allow use of pen/stylus instead of just finger
- Incorporate mini-games or challenges to make it more engaging
- Introduce different difficulty levels or progression


### 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 |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cursive Words free?

Cursive Words 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 Words or Handwriting Success?

Handwriting Success is rated higher. Cursive Words averages 3.8 out of 5 from 353 ratings, while Handwriting Success averages 4.0 from 233 ratings.

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

Cursive Words shows ads; Handwriting Success does not.

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

Cursive Words ships an update every 12 months, and Handwriting Success every 3 weeks. Most recently, Cursive Words was updated on October 17, 2026 and Handwriting Success on October 20, 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.*