# Skritter vs Traverse

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Skritter at 83% against Traverse's 29%. Skritter also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.5) and ratings volume (816 vs 19). Traverse's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Skritter sells 9 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.

Skritter holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Skritter has 816 ratings behind it against 19, 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 29% of Traverse's.

Skritter ships an update monthly, Traverse every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Skritter | Traverse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (816 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skritter-write-chinese/id1370892114/reviews)** | [2.5 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traverse-learn-effectively/id6446630278/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **816** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **82.8% of reviews** | 28.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 69 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Inkren, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/402280587) | [EASY CASTLE LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473782714) |

## What reviewers say

### Skritter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skritter-write-chinese/id1370892114)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $14.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $14.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (6 month) | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (6 month) | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (6 month) | $69.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $99.99 | per year |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $99.99 | per year |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $119.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for learning and retaining characters
- 👍 Great interface and user experience
- 💡 Helpful videos and content
- 👍 Effective for writing practice and stroke order
- 👍 Customizable decks and learning options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync and loading issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔒 Requires payment info upfront
- 🐛 Inconsistent character recognition
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported

**Reported bugs**

- Subscription issues and unauthorized charges
- App freezing and crashing
- Syncing problems across devices
- Inconsistent character recognition

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/traverse-learn-effectively/id6446630278)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Traverse Member | $15.00 | per month |


## Frequently asked 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 816 ratings, while Traverse averages 2.5 from 19 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 monthly, and Traverse every 3 months. Most recently, Skritter was updated on September 26, 2026 and Traverse on June 11, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*