Howay vs Kaligo: forming the letters, or feedback on the writing?
Both tools live close to a child's handwriting, so they get compared. They actually answer two different questions. Here is an honest read on which job each one does, so you can tell which one you need.
Two different jobs
Kaligo helps a child learn to write. Howay helps a teacher respond to what the child has written. That single distinction explains almost every difference between them.
Kaligo
- Teaches the act of handwriting
- Letter formation, phonics and spelling
- Practised on a tablet, often with a stylus
- Aimed at early years and early Key Stage 1
Howay
- Gives feedback on a finished piece of writing
- Reads a photograph of handwritten work
- Maps the writing to curriculum criteria
- Aimed at marking across Key Stage 1 and 2
Which one do you actually need?
If you are teaching children to form letters, Howay is not the tool. Letter formation, pencil grip and early phonics are a different job, and a handwriting-practice tool like Kaligo is built for it. We would rather say so than sell you the wrong thing.
If marking is the part of your week you most want help with, that is exactly where Howay fits. Photograph a child's writing and get curriculum-aligned feedback and next steps in minutes, in a teacher's voice, with your judgement kept in the loop.
They can sit side by side
Because the two tools work at different stages of writing, a school can use both. Handwriting practice early on, then feedback on composed writing as children move through Key Stage 1 and 2. They do not compete. They cover different parts of the same journey.
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Get startedSee also: AI marking for handwritten writing and Howay for teachers.