# Chinese Sound Test vs Pinyin Reader

The clearest difference is update cadence: Pinyin Reader at every 2 weeks against Chinese Sound Test's every 2 months. Pinyin Reader also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chinese Sound Test sells 10 one-off in-app purchases and Pinyin Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Chinese Sound Test ships an update every 2 months, Pinyin Reader every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chinese Sound Test | Pinyin Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-reader/id6759076586/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Paid |
| Size | 29 MB | 135 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Chinese School Nederland](https://appshunter.io/developer/1205137540) | [粤珠 袁](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875136461) |

## What reviewers say

### Chinese Sound Test

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-sound-test/id1451563249)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boya Chinese Quasi-Interm II | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boya Chinese Intermediate II | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boya Chinese Intermediate I | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boya Chinese Advanced I | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boya Chinese Advanced II | $2.99 | one-time |
| Boya Chinese Advanced III | $2.99 | one-time |
| Contemporary Chinese 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Contemporary Chinese 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Contemporary Chinese 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Contemporary Chinese 4 | $2.99 | one-time |


### Pinyin Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pinyin-reader/id6759076586)

This reading tool automatically adds pinyin annotations to Chinese characters on web pages and PDFs. It offers translation, text-to-speech playback, and pronunciation practice to enhance learning efficiency and pronunciation skills.

**Highlights:** Automatic pinyin annotations, Integrated web and PDF reader, Character definition and pronunciation lookup, Sentence-by-sentence text-to-speech, Pronunciation assessment and shadowing practice, Vocabulary and sentence saving, Ad-free reading experience

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Annual | $12.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chinese Sound Test free?

Chinese Sound Test is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Pinyin Reader free?

Pinyin Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Chinese Sound Test or Pinyin Reader have ads?

Neither Chinese Sound Test nor Pinyin Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chinese Sound Test or Pinyin Reader?

Chinese Sound Test ships an update every 2 months, and Pinyin Reader every 2 weeks. Most recently, Chinese Sound Test was updated on October 25, 2026 and Pinyin Reader on October 25, 2026.

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