Comparison

Skritter vs Traverse

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Skritter

Master Mandarin characters through interactive writing practice. Learn meanings, readings, and tones with curated decks for all levels, from beginner to advanced.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read 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

About

Traverse

This app combines note-taking, mind mapping, and spaced repetition flashcards to enhance learning and memory. It utilizes cognitive science principles to help users deeply understand and retain information, covering the entire learning cycle from initial ideas to long-term recall.

Highlights
  • Visual note-taking with mind mapping
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
  • Cognitive science-based learning
  • Multimedia content integration
  • Cloze deletion flashcard creation
  • Knowledge sharing and community
  • Inspiration from public learning materials
Features
Read full description

Traverse is a visual learning tool that combines note-taking with mind mapping and spaced repetition flashcards. Deeply grasp topics and remember for life with our learning method based on cognitive science. WHY CHOOSE TRAVERSE? Traverse is built the way humans learn. It covers the full learning cycle, where other tools only capture a part. From initial idea to AHA moment, to a crystal clear and unforgettable mental image. • See the big picture by visually mapping out your notes • Use color coding, links and grouping to master the hardest subjects • Perfect recall with our spaced repetition algorithm that helps you revise at the optimal time • Dive deeper, add and connect all of your learning content and resources - whether text, PDF, audio, images, videos, code blocks or Latex math formulas • Quickly create flashcards from anything by just selecting it and creating a cloze (fill-in-the-blank) • Share your knowledge with your peers, and gain reputation in the community • Or get inspired by the best maps, notes and flashcards others have already created ROOTED IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE Do you find yourself writing lots of notes but rarely revisiting them? Reading many books but failing to remember and apply the lessons in real life? Losing sight of the big picture in a pile of loose snippets of knowledge? Traverse is the first tool that integrates the full human learning process as understood by the latest neuroscience, enabling you to: - Use visual encoding to gain deep and integrative concept understanding - Flatten the forgetting curve with cognitive load optimization - Optimally space out revisions to learn more in less time - Use spatial memory for long-term retention and creative imagination Learn and master any field faster than you imagined possible. Develop original ideas. Apply what you learn and improve your decision making.

Screenshots

Skritter4 screens
Traverse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Skritter at 83% against Traverse's 32%. Skritter also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.7) and ratings volume (827 vs 24). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Skritter sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Traverse sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $15.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Skritter holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Skritter has 827 ratings behind it against 24, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Skritter's written reviews are positive against 32% of Traverse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Skritter ships an update every 5 weeks, Traverse every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Skritter versus Traverse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSkritterTraverse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (827 ratings) — better2.7 (24 ratings)
Positive reviews82.9% of reviews — better31.8% of reviews
Number of ratings827 — better24
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB65 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperInkren, Inc.OpenInternet

Customer experience

Skritter

All ratings825 ratings
Positive92.1%
Neutral1.9%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews381 reviews
Positive82.9%
Neutral5.5%
Negative11.5%

Traverse

All ratings24 ratings
Positive41.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative54.2%
Written reviews22 reviews
Positive31.8%
Neutral4.5%
Negative63.6%

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

Traverse

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Skritter

Subscriptions8
  • 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 more
  • 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
1 purchases

Traverse

Subscriptions1
  • Traverse Member$15.001 Month

Questions

Is Skritter free?
Skritter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Traverse free?
Traverse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Skritter or Traverse?
Skritter is rated higher. Skritter averages 4.7 out of 5 from 827 ratings, while Traverse averages 2.7 from 24 ratings.
Do Skritter or Traverse have ads?
Neither Skritter nor Traverse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Skritter or Traverse?
Skritter ships an update every 5 weeks, and Traverse every 3 months. Most recently, Skritter was updated on November 11, 2026 and Traverse on November 7, 2026.

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