TraceSousyo byNSDev vs KotenOCR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TraceSousyo byNSDev
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How to use Enter the kanji. As the sousyo is displayed, please trace with your finger or pen and practice. With Apple Pencil you can adjust the thickness by writing pressure. Please post your request on review. We will correspond as much as possible. Sousyo letters are those that were created using the Kouzan brush sousyo font. http://opentype.jp/kouzansousho.htm
KotenOCR
This application uses AI to convert classical Japanese cursive script (kuzushiji) into digital text. Simply take a photo of the script, and the app will automatically recognize and convert it. All processing is done on-device, supporting over 7,000 characters and optimized for historical documents.
- Photo to text conversion
- AI-powered kuzushiji recognition
- On-device processing
- Copy and share text
- Supports 7,000+ characters
- Optimized for historical documents
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An OCR app that reads classical Japanese cursive script (kuzushiji) using AI. Features: - Just take a photo to convert kuzushiji to text - Powered by the National Diet Library's AI model (NDL Koten OCR-Lite) - All processing runs on-device (no internet connection required) - Copy and share recognized text How to Use: 1. Capture a page with the camera or select from your photo library 2. AI automatically detects text regions and recognizes kuzushiji 3. Tap results to review, copy and use Supports over 7,000 kanji, hiragana, and katakana characters. Optimized for Edo-period woodblock prints and manuscripts. Licenses: - OCR Model: NDL Koten OCR-Lite (National Diet Library, CC-BY-4.0) - Inference Engine: ONNX Runtime (Microsoft, MIT License) Source code: https://github.com/nakamura196/koten-ocr-ios
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TraceSousyo byNSDev at none against KotenOCR's 3. TraceSousyo byNSDev also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). KotenOCR's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 24 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. KotenOCR sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. TraceSousyo byNSDev asks for nothing beyond the download.
TraceSousyo byNSDev ships an update every 24 months, KotenOCR daily. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TraceSousyo byNSDev | KotenOCR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 3.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 24 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 247 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | NIHON SYSTEM DEVELOPER CORPORATION | Satoru Nakamura |
In-app purchases
TraceSousyo byNSDev
No in-app purchases
KotenOCR
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$2.99
- Large Tip$6.99
