Calligraphr alternative: Dearfont vs Calligraphr compared (2026)

An honest side-by-side of the two handwriting font makers — including where Calligraphr is the better choice.

Updated September 28, 2026 · 6 min read

Calligraphr — which many people still know by its old name, MyScriptFont — is one of the best-known tools for turning handwriting into a font. If you're comparing options, here's how it stacks up against Dearfont. We make Dearfont, so we've stuck to facts you can check: Calligraphr's details come from its own pricing page and FAQ, checked in September 2026.

At a glance

Calligraphr prices and limits as published on calligraphr.com, September 2026.
	Dearfont	Calligraphr
How you create letters	Draw in the browser (stylus, touch or mouse) or scan a printed template	Print a template, fill it in, then scan or photograph it
Free plan	2 fonts, 76 characters (A–Z, a–z, 0–9, punctuation), TTF download	1 font at a time, 75 characters, 2 variants per character
Where free work is saved	Your account, on any device	Your browser only
Paid price	$8/month or $48/year; $99 lifetime; $9 to unlock a single font	$10 for one month, or $6/month for six months
Paid limits	100 fonts, 229 characters + ligatures, 3 variants per character	20 fonts, 600 characters, 15 variants per character
File formats	TTF (free); OTF, WOFF and WOFF2 with Pro	TTF or OTF
Spacing	Letter & word spacing, per-letter adjustments, kerning pairs (Pro)	Letter-spacing adjustment (Pro)
Commercial use	Yes, on every plan	Yes

The biggest difference: drawing vs templates

Calligraphr is built around printed templates: you print a sheet, write in the boxes, and upload a scan. Dearfont supports the same workflow with a free printable template — and it also lets you draw each letter directly in the browser. On an iPad with an Apple Pencil or a drawing tablet, that's usually faster: no printing, no scanning, and you can redo a single letter in seconds.

Free plans compared

Both free plans cover a basic alphabet. Calligraphr's free plan allows one font at a time with up to 75 characters and keeps your data in your browser. Dearfont's free plan gives you two fonts with 76 characters — uppercase, lowercase, digits and common punctuation — saved to your account so you can switch between your laptop and tablet, and download them as TTF.

Paid plans compared

Calligraphr Pro is sold per period: $10 for one month, or $6 a month when you buy six months. Dearfont Pro costs $8 a month or $48 a year, and there's a one-time $99 Lifetime plan if you'd rather not subscribe. If you only need one special font, a single-font unlock ($9, one time) gives that font every Pro feature.

Calligraphr's paid plan has higher ceilings — 600 characters per font and up to 15 variants per character, compared with Dearfont's 229 characters plus 9 ligatures and 3 variants per character. Dearfont Pro adds kerning pairs and web font formats (WOFF and WOFF2) for using your handwriting on a website.

Which should you choose?

Choose Dearfont if you…

want to draw on a tablet or touchscreen instead of printing and scanning;
want your free fonts saved to an account, not just one browser;
need web fonts (WOFF2) or kerning for a polished result;
prefer a yearly or one-time Lifetime price.

Choose Calligraphr if you…

need a very large character set (up to 600 characters) for many languages;
want lots of variants per letter (up to 15) for a highly natural look;
only need a paid plan for a single month.

Frequently asked questions

Is Calligraphr the same as MyScriptFont?

Calligraphr is widely reported to be the successor of MyScriptFont, which is no longer available. If you used MyScriptFont in the past, Calligraphr and Dearfont are the two closest options today.

Is there a free Calligraphr alternative?

Yes. Dearfont's free plan lets you create two handwriting fonts with 76 characters and download them as TTF files, whether you draw in the browser or scan a printed template.

Can I use fonts from either tool commercially?

Yes. Both allow commercial use of the fonts you create. See Dearfont's font license for details.

Calligraphr, FontCraft, FontCrafter, YourFonts, iFontMaker, Fontself, FontForge, Cricut, Canva, Procreate and other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Dearfont is not affiliated with or endorsed by them. Prices and features were checked on each product's website on the date shown and may change.