# Calligraphy vs Writey Cursive Handwriting

The clearest difference is rating: Calligraphy at 5.0 against Writey Cursive Handwriting's 4.5. Calligraphy also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). Writey Cursive Handwriting's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Calligraphy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days and Writey Cursive Handwriting sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Calligraphy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Writey Cursive Handwriting has 12K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 50% and 50% positive.

Calligraphy ships an update every 4 months, Writey Cursive Handwriting fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Calligraphy | Writey Cursive Handwriting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-learn-abc/id975195757/reviews)** | [4.5 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writey-cursive-handwriting/id1512640380/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **50.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 35 MB | 661 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maria Gascon](https://appshunter.io/developer/1265018007) | [Writey B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1699597596) |

## What reviewers say

### Calligraphy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/calligraphy-learn-abc/id975195757)

This educational game helps children learn the alphabet through interactive handwriting practice, coloring activities, and vocabulary building. It utilizes a Montessori-inspired approach to teach both uppercase and lowercase letters, fostering motor skills and memory development.

**Highlights:** Handwriting practice worksheets, Alphabet tracing and dot-to-dot, Coloring book with animal drawings, Vocabulary building exercises, Montessori learning method, Uppercase and lowercase letter practice

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly plan | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Quitar anuncios | $2.99 | one-time |
| Forever plan | $19.99 | one-time |


### Writey Cursive Handwriting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/writey-cursive-handwriting/id1512640380)

Learn and improve handwriting skills with interactive courses for calligraphy, cursive, and print writing. Supports multiple languages and is designed for styluses like Apple Pencil. Suitable for children and adults looking to master beautiful handwriting.

**Highlights:** Interactive handwriting courses, Calligraphy and cursive practice, Multi-language support, Designed for styluses (e.g., Apple Pencil), Smart worksheets with learning roadmap, Zoom in/out for comfortable writing, Dark Mode

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

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Access | $14.99 | per 6 months |
| Premium Access | $19.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $24.99 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $24.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $29.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $39.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good app for handwriting practice
- 💡 Helpful for improving handwriting
- 🚀 Efficient writing experience with Apple Pencil
- 🎨 Variety of writing styles and languages

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
- 🔒 Limited free content, most features require payment
- 🐛 Issues with screen scrolling and writing detection
- 🙅‍♀️ Not suitable for left-handed users

**Reported bugs**

- Screen scrolling issues when writing
- Inconsistent writing detection and feedback
- Subscription/purchase issues

**Requested features**

- Add more practice words and sentences
- Implement custom word/text input
- Support for additional writing styles (e.g., UK cursive)
- Improve overall user experience and accessibility


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calligraphy free?

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

### Is Writey Cursive Handwriting free?

Writey Cursive Handwriting is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Calligraphy or Writey Cursive Handwriting?

Calligraphy is rated higher. Calligraphy averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Writey Cursive Handwriting averages 4.5 from 12K ratings.

### Do Calligraphy or Writey Cursive Handwriting have ads?

Calligraphy shows ads; Writey Cursive Handwriting does not.

### Which is updated more often, Calligraphy or Writey Cursive Handwriting?

Calligraphy ships an update every 4 months, and Writey Cursive Handwriting fortnightly. Most recently, Calligraphy was updated on August 13, 2026 and Writey Cursive Handwriting on September 24, 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.*