# ELCC vs CharacterMatrix

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CharacterMatrix at 100% against ELCC's 56%. CharacterMatrix also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). ELCC's advantage is ratings volume (60 vs 9) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ELCC sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and CharacterMatrix sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CharacterMatrix holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ELCC has 60 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of ELCC's written reviews are positive against 100% of CharacterMatrix's.

ELCC ships an update every 3 months, CharacterMatrix monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ELCC | CharacterMatrix |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elcc-daily-mandarin-learning/id1248200147/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charactermatrix-learn-chinese/id1644194033/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 297 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Y factory](https://appshunter.io/developer/352553439) | [CopyBucket, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1458817077) |

## What reviewers say

### ELCC

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elcc-daily-mandarin-learning/id1248200147)

Learn Chinese characters through a fun and intuitive method. This app breaks down complex characters into basic components, allowing you to recall them instead of memorizing. It includes quizzes, tests, and pronunciation guides to aid your learning journey.

**Highlights:** 250 root characters, 1162 HSK 1-3 characters, Stroke order animation, Native pronunciation, Quizzes and tests, Character review and search, Daily character notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Version | $4.99 | one-time |


### CharacterMatrix

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/charactermatrix-learn-chinese/id1644194033)

Master the 1000 most common Chinese characters with this comprehensive learning tool. It provides example sentences, pronunciation, translations, and character summaries to aid fluency. Explore traditional and simplified characters with customizable display options and audio playback.

**Highlights:** 1000 most common characters, Example sentences with translations, Pinyin pronunciation, Traditional and simplified characters, Audio playback, Customizable themes (dark/light), Search functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock All 1000 Characters | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ELCC free?

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

### Is CharacterMatrix free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ELCC or CharacterMatrix?

CharacterMatrix is rated higher. ELCC averages 4.7 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while CharacterMatrix averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do ELCC or CharacterMatrix have ads?

Neither ELCC nor CharacterMatrix shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ELCC or CharacterMatrix?

ELCC ships an update every 3 months, and CharacterMatrix monthly. Most recently, ELCC was updated on November 2, 2026 and CharacterMatrix on November 3, 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.*