# Calligraphy Handbook vs SlidePal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SlidePal at none against Calligraphy Handbook's 1. SlidePal also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months) and device support (3 vs 1). Calligraphy Handbook's advantage is ratings volume (518 vs 7) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calligraphy Handbook sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SlidePal asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Calligraphy Handbook against 4.6 for SlidePal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Calligraphy Handbook has 518 ratings behind it against 7, 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 75% of SlidePal's.

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, SlidePal every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calligraphy Handbook | SlidePal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (518 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075/reviews) | **[4.6 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slidepal/id1484149086/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **518** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 257 MB | 66 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon](https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567) | [Ryan Temple](https://appshunter.io/developer/1097339156) |

## 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


### SlidePal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/slidepal/id1484149086)

Discover people nearby using emojis as a unique matchmaking filter. Engage in a hidden mini-game by shaking your device.

**Highlights:** Emoji-based user discovery, Personalized matchmaking, Hidden shake mini-game, Location-based connections, Simple interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calligraphy Handbook free?

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

### Is SlidePal free?

SlidePal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Calligraphy Handbook or SlidePal?

SlidePal is rated higher. Calligraphy Handbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 518 ratings, while SlidePal averages 4.6 from 7 ratings.

### Do Calligraphy Handbook or SlidePal have ads?

Neither Calligraphy Handbook nor SlidePal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calligraphy Handbook or SlidePal?

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, and SlidePal every 3 weeks. Most recently, Calligraphy Handbook was updated on October 14, 2026 and SlidePal on October 17, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*