Comparison

Chinese Characters 汉字 vs Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

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

Head to head
About

Chinese Characters 汉字

Learn to read and write thousands of Chinese characters with detailed instructions. Access free dictionaries, OCR translation, and Pinyin annotations for news articles. Covers HSK and AP Chinese exam requirements.

Highlights
  • Writing instructions for 3000+ characters
  • HSK and AP Chinese exam coverage
  • Free OCR for Chinese text translation
  • Free English-Chinese and Chinese-English dictionaries
  • Pinyin annotation for news articles
Features
Read full description

- Writing instructions for nearly 3000 Chinese characters - Covers all and more characters than required in the official Chinese Proficiency Examinations (HSK levels 1 to 6), and required in AP Chinese exams administered by the U.S. College Board. - Free Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for Chinese text for easy translation, which is also free. - Free download of English-Chinese and Chinese-English dictionaries for quick lookup - Links to the Chinese edition of renowned news sites such as New York Times, BBC and Reuters, with free Pinyin annotation to assist you read new words.

About

Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

Features
Read full description

WORRIED YOUR CHILD'S CHINESE IS SLIPPING? Stringboard turns Chinese writing practice into something they actually want to do. Start with a free 7-day challenge. One short mission a day, no pinyin needed. A GAME, NOT ANOTHER WORKSHEET Each daily mission teaches 3-4 characters through a walkthrough, then a game where they shoot down falling characters by typing the correct stroke order. Just 10 minutes a day makes all the difference. NO PINYIN. NO MEMORIZATION. Stringboard's stroke-and-radical keyboard works the way kids already learn to write. If they can write it, they can type it. Even 4-year-olds pick it up in minutes. TYPING IS WRITING PRACTICE Every character is typed by selecting the right strokes and radicals in the right order, the same skill they need on paper. Real handwriting reinforcement is built into every tap. BUILT FOR BUSY FAMILIES No extra tutors, no printing worksheets, no scheduling around an already-packed week. Just open the app after dinner or on the MTR home. CANTONESE, MANDARIN, OR BOTH Toggle between Traditional, Simplified, and Cantonese characters with one tap. Whether your child speaks Cantonese at home, Mandarin at school, or both, we’re here to support you. REAL-TIME FEEDBACK = INDEPENDENT PRACTICE Live stroke and radical hints mean your child can practice on their own. You're not coaching homework at 10pm anymore. FREE TO START The 7-day challenge is free forever, no card required. When they're ready for more, one subscription unlocks every lesson pack: the full Hong Kong P1–P6 Chinese curriculum, with unlimited practice. The Stringboard keyboard works across every app on their phone, and stays free for life. Loving Stringboard? A quick review helps other families find us! Need help? hello@stringboard.tech Video tutorial: https://youtu.be/zTGRsduVyoM Threads: @stringboardhk Instagram: @stringboardhk Privacy: stringboard.tech/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Chinese Characters 汉字4 screens
Stringboard Chinese Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chinese Characters 汉字 at none against Stringboard Chinese Keyboard's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Chinese Characters 汉字 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Stringboard Chinese Keyboard sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chinese Characters 汉字 ships an update every 10 days, Stringboard Chinese Keyboard fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Chinese Characters 汉字 versus Stringboard Chinese Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChinese Characters 汉字Stringboard Chinese Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (295 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings295 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB238 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYOYASOFT LLCStringboard Technologies Ltd

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Chinese Characters 汉字

One-time3
  • MDBG DictionaryFree
  • English-Chinese DictionaryFree
  • Advanced Chinese Characters$12.99
2 purchases

Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

Subscriptions2
  • 月費計劃1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Annual plan1 Year trial$89.991 Year

Questions

Is Chinese Characters 汉字 free?
Chinese Characters 汉字 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stringboard Chinese Keyboard free?
Stringboard Chinese Keyboard is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Chinese Characters 汉字 or Stringboard Chinese Keyboard have ads?
Stringboard Chinese Keyboard shows ads; Chinese Characters 汉字 does not.
Which is updated more often, Chinese Characters 汉字 or Stringboard Chinese Keyboard?
Chinese Characters 汉字 ships an update every 10 days, and Stringboard Chinese Keyboard fortnightly. Most recently, Chinese Characters 汉字 was updated on November 2, 2026 and Stringboard Chinese Keyboard on November 4, 2026.

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