# Calligraphy Handbook vs Tayasui Doodle Book

The clearest difference is ads: Calligraphy Handbook at none against Tayasui Doodle Book's shown. Calligraphy Handbook also leads on review sentiment (70% vs 47%) and ratings volume (517 vs 125). Tayasui Doodle Book's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). 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 Tayasui Doodle Book sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. 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 4.5 for Tayasui Doodle Book. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 517 and 125 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Calligraphy Handbook's written reviews are positive against 47% of Tayasui Doodle Book's.

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, Tayasui Doodle Book fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calligraphy Handbook | Tayasui Doodle Book |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (517 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075/reviews) | **[4.5 (125 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tayasui-doodle-book-scribble/id1315732497/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **517** | 125 |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 46.6% 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 | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon](https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567) | [SKETCHES SRL](https://appshunter.io/developer/1789604467) |

## 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


### Tayasui Doodle Book

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tayasui-doodle-book-scribble/id1315732497)

Unleash your creativity with a digital sketchbook offering a variety of patterns and smart tools. Doodle freely or create intricate masterpieces with an expansive range of artistic possibilities. Enjoy moments of relaxation or intense creative expression.

**Highlights:** Dozens of original patterns, Smart drawing tools, Optional soothing sounds, Freehand drawing, Pattern-based doodling, Creative relaxation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Weekly premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly premium | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Yearly premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Yearly premium | $9.99 | per year |
| Yearly premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly premium | $69.99 | per year |
| Doodle Book Pro | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💫 Relaxing doodling experience
- 🎨 Satisfying drawing tools
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 🎨 Realistic paper and pencil sounds
- 🎨 Variety of background patterns

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy page navigation
- 💰 Limited free features, requires paid upgrade
- 🖌️ Lack of customization options (pen size, color, etc.)
- 🤔 Confusing tutorial
- 🤔 Unclear access to paid features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch for some users
- Inability to progress through tutorial
- Drawings not saving properly
- Paid features not unlocking as expected

**Requested features**

- Option to disable finger input when using stylus
- Ability to save and view past drawings
- More background options, including blank pages
- Easier page navigation and management
- Color palette and brush customization


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calligraphy Handbook free?

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

### Is Tayasui Doodle Book free?

Tayasui Doodle Book is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calligraphy Handbook or Tayasui Doodle Book?

Tayasui Doodle Book is rated higher. Calligraphy Handbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 517 ratings, while Tayasui Doodle Book averages 4.5 from 125 ratings.

### Do Calligraphy Handbook or Tayasui Doodle Book have ads?

Tayasui Doodle Book shows ads; Calligraphy Handbook does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calligraphy Handbook or Tayasui Doodle Book?

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, and Tayasui Doodle Book fortnightly. Most recently, Calligraphy Handbook was updated on October 23, 2026 and Tayasui Doodle Book on October 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.*