# Calligraphy Handbook vs Spirograph Maker

The clearest difference is ads: Calligraphy Handbook at none against Spirograph Maker's shown. Calligraphy Handbook also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 53%) and ratings volume (518 vs 88). Spirograph Maker's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calligraphy Handbook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Spirograph Maker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Calligraphy Handbook against 4.4 for Spirograph Maker. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calligraphy Handbook has 518 ratings behind it against 88, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Calligraphy Handbook's written reviews are positive against 53% of Spirograph Maker's.

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, Spirograph Maker fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calligraphy Handbook | Spirograph Maker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (518 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075/reviews)** | [4.4 (88 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spirograph-maker/id1192996801/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **518** | 88 |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 52.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 257 MB | 25 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon](https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567) | [KYWorks](https://appshunter.io/developer/438033904) |

## What reviewers say

### Calligraphy Handbook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075)

This app is a digital tool for learning and practicing calligraphy. It offers various pens, colors, and effects for both beginners and experienced artists. Users can also challenge friends or test their skills with a calligraphy game.

**Highlights:** Digital pens and papers for learning, Unique pen and color effects, Calligraphy game for skill evaluation, 11 calligraphic pens and 1 pointed pen, 19 calligraphic hands in various styles, Layer management for artistic creation, Export creations to camera roll or email

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All Features | $3.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful for learning calligraphy
- 💡 Variety of font styles and color options
- 👍 Calming and meditative experience
- 👍 Great for beginners and intermediate users
- 👍 Useful for practicing without supplies

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💰 Misleading about free features
- 🔒 Lack of palm rejection and input issues
- 👎 Overly strict grading system
- 👎 Limited free features, need to pay for full access

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when switching between uppercase and lowercase letters
- Undo feature causes freezing and loss of progress
- Inconsistent performance and lag when using Apple Pencil
- Restoration of in-app purchases not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add more font styles, especially Gothic and modern
- Implement better palm rejection and input handling
- Allow users to favorite/save preferred font styles
- Add the ability to practice full words and sentences
- Improve export and sharing options


### Spirograph Maker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spirograph-maker/id1192996801)

Easily create intricate spirograph patterns by adjusting gear size and pen color. Explore a variety of designs with this intuitive drawing application.

**Highlights:** Easy spirograph creation, Adjustable gear size, Customizable pen color, Draw various figures, Intuitive interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calligraphy Handbook free?

Calligraphy Handbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Spirograph Maker free?

Spirograph Maker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calligraphy Handbook or Spirograph Maker?

Calligraphy Handbook is rated higher. Calligraphy Handbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 518 ratings, while Spirograph Maker averages 4.4 from 88 ratings.

### Do Calligraphy Handbook or Spirograph Maker have ads?

Spirograph Maker shows ads; Calligraphy Handbook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calligraphy Handbook or Spirograph Maker?

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, and Spirograph Maker fortnightly. Most recently, Calligraphy Handbook was updated on September 27, 2026 and Spirograph Maker on September 29, 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.*