# HSK 1 vs Basic

The clearest difference is ads: Basic at none against HSK 1's shown. Basic also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). HSK 1's advantage is update cadence (every 9 months vs every 21 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HSK 1 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Basic sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HSK 1 ships an update every 9 months, Basic every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HSK 1 | Basic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 20.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 21 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 253 MB | 896 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket School - Basic education to learn for adults & kids](https://appshunter.io/developer/1122988377) | [Ludo-Vic](https://appshunter.io/developer/1621267084) |

## What reviewers say

### HSK 1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hsk-1-6-learn-chinese-words/id1123596461)

Master Mandarin vocabulary with flashcards and interactive games aligned with the official HSK proficiency test. Covers all six levels, offering pronunciation, meaning, and review tools for systematic language learning.

**Highlights:** HSK levels 1-6 vocabulary, Flashcards with Hanzi, Pinyin, and English meaning, Audio pronunciation, Word review function, Mini-games and quizzes, Systematic learning framework

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly semanal Offer | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Plan | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| Remove Ads | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Purchase | $29.99 | one-time |


### Basic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-francais/id1627356412)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 完全访问 | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HSK 1 free?

HSK 1 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Basic free?

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

### Do HSK 1 or Basic have ads?

HSK 1 shows ads; Basic does not.

### Which is updated more often, HSK 1 or Basic?

HSK 1 ships an update every 9 months, and Basic every 21 months. Most recently, HSK 1 was updated on October 21, 2026 and Basic on October 18, 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.*