Nazoru vs Writing Wizard
Nazoru
nazoru.netWriting Wizard
lescapadou.comSide by side
| Figure | Nazoru | Writing Wizard |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $3.33/mo | $2.49/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 5 | 11 |
| Spec score · Handwriting Practice Apps | 8.6 (#4) | 8.4 (#6) |
| Integrations | Officially listed study integrations are WaniKani, Bunpro and MaruMori, while the app listing also mentions Anki. | Word lists can be shared through iCloud Drive or other cloud providers, an ad hoc network, or email. |
| Purpose | Nazoru helps learners practice writing Japanese kanji and kana by hand, progressing from guided tracing to writing from memory. | Writing Wizard helps children learn to trace letters, numbers, and words. |
| Rating on Apple App Store | 4.0 out of 5 from 1 review | 4.4 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings |
| What it does | Nazoru teaches Japanese handwriting by moving from guided tracing toward writing kanji and kana from memory. | Writing Wizard teaches young children to trace and write letters, numbers, shapes and words with guided demonstrations, audio cues and rewards. |
Plans
Nazoru
- FreeFree
- Unlimited$3.99 a month
- Unlimited monthly$3.99 a month
- Unlimited$39.99 a year
- Unlimited yearly$39.99 a year
Writing Wizard
- FreeFree
- Free appFree
- Full Access - Monthly$2.49 a month
- Full Access - Monthly$2.49 a month
- Add Your Words and Word Lists$5.99, paid once
- Add Your Words and Word Lists$5.99, paid once
- All Letters and Numbers$5.99, paid once
- All Letters and Numbers$5.99, paid once
- Lifetime Full Access$9.99, paid once
- Lifetime Full Access$9.99, paid once
In their own words
Nazoru
Nazoru is a Japanese handwriting practice app for learners working on kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Practice moves from full character outlines through dashed stroke cues and direction hints to a blank canvas, supporting progress from tracing toward writing from memory. When a learner misses a stroke, the guide and direction cue return; the next session starts at the level indicated by their memory. Built-in paths cover JLPT levels N5 to N1, Japanese school grades, frequency, and Heisig ordering. Learners can browse categories and custom lists, search kanji and words they have seen, and practice confusable kanji side by side. Nazoru can suggest practice based on kanji studied in WaniKani, Bunpro, and MaruMori. Those integrations use a read-only API key kept on the device, and practice here does not count as a review in those services. The app works offline and offers optional Google Drive backup for progress, history, and settings. Free allows two full practices per day; Unlimited costs $3.99 per month. The app has no ads or tracking.
Writing Wizard
Writing Wizard helps children practice tracing letters, numbers, and words. It guides correct letter tracing and lets adults adjust letter size and difficulty or choose whether to display a model. Children can use animated stickers and sound effects, try four games that animate letters, and collect stars in 5-Stars mode. Parents and teachers can create word lists and record audio for each word. Progress reports show traced content, and adults can replay and export tracings. The app also creates PDF handwriting worksheets for printing or email. Word lists can be shared through iCloud Drive, other cloud providers, an ad hoc network, or email. The maker says app data and activities stay on the device and its apps contain no ads. The free download leaves remaining letters and custom words behind an in-app purchase or subscription. Full Access is $2.49 a month, while Lifetime Full Access is $9.99, paid once. The maker says a Windows installer is available upon request.