# Calligraphy Handbook vs Pattern Art

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pattern Art at weekly against Calligraphy Handbook's every 4 months. Pattern Art also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 518). Calligraphy Handbook's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 11.0). 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 and Pattern Art sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.4 for Pattern Art. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 518 and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Calligraphy Handbook's written reviews are positive against 76% of Pattern Art's.

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, Pattern Art weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calligraphy Handbook | Pattern Art |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (518 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-handbook/id830584075/reviews)** | [4.4 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-art/id1498625618/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 518 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **75.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 257 MB | 86 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Etienne Nguyen Tan Hon](https://appshunter.io/developer/417852567) | [Daily Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/1346779436) |

## 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


### Pattern Art

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pattern-art/id1498625618)

Create stunning patterns, wallpapers, and prints with a professional editor. Utilize AI tools for photo integration and access a vast library of motifs. Share your creations and explore designs from a global community.

**Highlights:** Make beautiful patterns, wallpapers, backgrounds & prints, Professional editor for seamless patterns, AI Eraser to add photos, 1000+ motifs/stickers, Browse and share patterns, Community pattern gallery

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pattern Art Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pattern Art Premium | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pattern Art Weekly with Trial | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pattern Art Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Pattern Art Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Pattern Art Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Pattern Art Monthly | $18.99 | per month |
| Pattern Art Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Pattern Art Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Pattern Art Premium | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Fun and creative app
- 💡 Ability to import own images
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🚀 Great for making patterns
- 👍 Lots of options and motifs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Glitchy and unstable
- 🐛 Hard to navigate and control
- 🐛 Lack of undo/redo functionality
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 💡 Need more customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashing issues
- Motifs disappearing behind background
- Difficulty resizing and rotating elements
- Automatic subscription sign-ups

**Requested features**

- Search function for motifs
- Ability to adjust background color
- Improved layer management
- Option to export larger images
- Unlimited pattern creation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calligraphy Handbook free?

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

### Is Pattern Art free?

Pattern Art is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calligraphy Handbook or Pattern Art?

Calligraphy Handbook is rated higher. Calligraphy Handbook averages 4.5 out of 5 from 518 ratings, while Pattern Art averages 4.4 from 1.6K ratings.

### Do Calligraphy Handbook or Pattern Art have ads?

Neither Calligraphy Handbook nor Pattern Art shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Calligraphy Handbook or Pattern Art?

Calligraphy Handbook ships an update every 4 months, and Pattern Art weekly. Most recently, Calligraphy Handbook was updated on October 14, 2026 and Pattern Art 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.*