Skritter vs Chinese Character Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Skritter
Master Mandarin characters through interactive writing practice. Learn meanings, readings, and tones with curated decks for all levels, from beginner to advanced.
- Interactive character writing practice
- Learn character meaning, reading, and tone
- Topic-based and difficulty-level decks
- HSK 1-9 study decks
- Stroke order guidance
- Review mode
Read full descriptionHide full description
Remember every Chinese character you learn. Most apps ask you to recognize characters. Skritter asks you to write them, because writing is one of the fastest ways to make a character stick. When you write a character, you recall every part of it, so the next time you see it, you really know it. Self-studying or taking classes? Learn Mandarin with HSK, TOCFL and textbook vocab, in simplified or traditional characters. WRITE TO REMEMBER Recall each character stroke by stroke, with instant feedback on your handwriting and stroke order. Prefer to focus on readings and meanings? You can turn writing off any time. SPACED REPETITION THAT FITS YOUR DAY Our spaced repetition system (SRS) brings each word back just before you forget it, so you practice what is slipping and skip what you know. Daily reminders keep the habit going, and a few minutes a day adds up to thousands of characters over time. HSK, TOCFL AND YOUR TEXTBOOK - HSK 3.0 levels 1 to 3, with more levels added as they are released - Every HSK 2.0 level - TOCFL decks - Most popular Chinese textbook series, chapter by chapter, so you can study this week's words tonight 700+ DECKS AND GUIDED COURSES - The Skritter Character Course: learn how characters work and master 150 high-use characters - 100 Common Radicals: see how characters are built - Chinese Stroke Order: eight simple rules for balanced, readable handwriting - Hundreds more topics, with new video lessons added regularly - Or build your own word list in seconds. YOUR SCRIPT, YOUR WAY Study traditional or simplified characters, or both, with pinyin or zhuyin (bopomofo). THREE WRITING MODES Start with guided strokes and hints, move to freehand, then write whole characters from memory and grade yourself. SKRITTER PREMIUM - Personalized SRS reviews - Instant handwriting and stroke order feedback - HSK, TOCFL, textbook lists and 700+ official decks - Example sentences, tone practice and tips from expert teachers - Web, mobile and offline support - One subscription covers both Skritter Chinese and Skritter Japanese Privacy Policy: https://skritter.com/legal Terms of Use: https://docs.skritter.com/article/133-terms-of-use
Chinese Character Reader
This app uses AI to instantly read Chinese characters aloud from scanned images. Convert books into audiobooks with a single tap, making learning and comprehension effortless. Simply take a picture, tap the detected text, and hear it spoken.
- AI-powered text detection
- One-click text-to-speech
- Book to audiobook conversion
- Supports English and Chinese
- Image scanning for reading
Read full descriptionHide full description
Use AI technology to detect the word to speech with 1 click Convert your book to audio book just 1 click SCAN Steps 1. Take a picture 2. Click the detected words/paragraph to speak Support English and Chinese
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Chinese Character Reader at none against Skritter's 10. Chinese Character Reader also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Skritter's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (827 vs 2). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. Skritter sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Chinese Character Reader asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chinese Character Reader holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Skritter has 827 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Skritter ships an update every 5 weeks, Chinese Character Reader every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Skritter | Chinese Character Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (827 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 82.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 827 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 55 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Inkren, Inc. | Tsz Poon |
Customer experience
Skritter
Chinese Character Reader
Bugs and requests
Skritter
Reported bugs
4 issues- Subscription issues and unauthorized charges
- App freezing and crashing
- Syncing problems across devices
- Inconsistent character recognition
Requested features
5 requests- Allow creating custom decks and word lists
- Add Cantonese support
- Improve landscape mode on iPad
- Provide more detailed performance tracking
- Add ability to focus on specific problem characters
Chinese Character Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Skritter
- Skritter Premium (1 month)7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Skritter Premium (1 month)7 Days trial2 variants$14.991 Month
- Skritter Premium (1 month)14 Days trial$14.991 Month
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Skritter Premium (6 month)7 Days trial$59.996 Months
- Skritter Premium (6 month)7 Days trial$69.996 Months
- Skritter Premium (1 year)7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
- Skritter Premium (1 year)14 Days trial$99.991 Year
- Skritter Premium (1 year)7 Days trial$119.991 Year
Chinese Character Reader
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Skritter free?
Is Chinese Character Reader free?
Which has better reviews, Skritter or Chinese Character Reader?
Do Skritter or Chinese Character Reader have ads?
Which is updated more often, Skritter or Chinese Character Reader?
Other comparisons















