Comparison

Cats InputPad Pro vs Canto School

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

Head to head
About

Cats InputPad Pro

Features
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Writing Chinese is a breeze if you use the Chinese Alphabet Teaching System. You can also input the same way as you write Chinese. It is the fastest way of inputting Chinese, and even better, by using it, you also learn how to write Chinese characters better. It is the ideal way of implementing the EasyChinese method of learning Chinese. Version 2.0 is fully modernized for today's iPhones and iPads: full-screen support on every device, a native keyboard look in light and dark mode, and improved stability throughout. Compose your text in the app, then copy it for use anywhere. This is the complete Pro version β€” no ads, long-press reverse lookup showing the stroke code of any character, and the IICore characters database for input of more than 12,000 Chinese characters.

About

Canto School

Features
Read full description

Learn practical Cantonese for everyday life in Hong Kong. Practise meeting people, ordering food, travelling and making plansβ€”with Traditional Chinese, Jyutping and English support. FIND YOUR STARTING POINT Choose from five levels or try the free listening-and-reply check. Arrive at your place on the path, then tap a lesson when you're ready. The check needs no microphone and suggests a starting point; it does not certify proficiency. ONE CLEAR LESSON PATH Follow 242 lessons across 18 stages, plus 18 stage checks. Start with saying hello, introducing yourself and asking for help. Learn through pictures, choosing, matching, building and speaking. Finish a lesson and return to the path before choosing your next one. TRY YOUR STARTING LESSON FREE Try the fixed entry lesson at your selected starting level free. Changing your level in Profile adds its entry lesson and keeps earlier grants replayable. Repeating a choice or resetting progress does not unlock neighbouring lessons. Existing learners with free Stage 1 access retain it. Build is free, including available word, phrase-part and sentence recordings. Browse Vocabulary freely and hear Hello, Good morning and Bye as free greetings. There is no trial countdown. GO FURTHER WITH FULL COURSE Full Course is an optional monthly subscription for all stages, full Vocabulary access, flashcards and personal decks, Review and Theory. Explore Jyutping, tones, patterns and politeness in optional Theory, then return to your lesson. Apple shows your local monthly price before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account. It renews monthly unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple Account subscription settings. Access lasts through the paid period; learning progress is retained. Qualifying paid-app owners and previous lifetime Full Course purchasers keep access without subscribing. Find Restore purchases in Profile's course-access screen. LISTEN AND REPLY Hear available recorded Cantonese, replay or slow it down, and tap expressions for their meaning. Resume unfinished lessons and keep your place when switching tabs. BUILD SOMETHING YOU CAN SAY Choose English words and see Cantonese take shape. Tap a placed word to remove it, or undo a choice. Hear available exact recordings of words, parts and complete lines. PRACTISE SPEAKING YOUR WAY Hold to speak and replay your attempt, or reveal the model with Show answer. Supported iPhones can check recognized words on device; this does not assess pronunciation or tones. Speaking is unscored. Choose Build instead when you cannot speak. KEEP USEFUL WORDS CLOSE Vocabulary starts with Words; explore Short phrases and Sentences separately. Search in English, Cantonese or Jyutping, open word details and add cards to a personal deck. Browse themed flashcard decks, including Everyday 100, or make your own. Tap to flip from English to Cantonese and Jyutping. Still learning and I know this schedule future reviews. Rename a deck, change its icon and recover deleted decks. Review practises language you've met. Audio plays only when an exact recording is available. Missing or withheld recordings stay unavailable; custom card text and some Build combinations have no recording. The app does not generate speech for them. LEARN OFFLINE, WITHOUT A CANTO SCHOOL ACCOUNT Lessons, pictures and recordings are bundled. Purchases, restores and verification may need internet. Verified subscription access works offline until expiry. There are no ads or tracking. Progress, decks and optional daily reminders stay on your device. Speaking recordings are temporary and are not uploaded to Canto School. Terms of Use: https://cantoschool.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://cantoschool.com/privacy Support: https://cantoschool.com/support

Screenshots

Cats InputPad Pro4 screens
Canto School4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cats InputPad Pro at none against Canto School's 1. Cats InputPad Pro also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Canto School's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 22 months). On price, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Canto School sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Cats InputPad Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Cats InputPad Pro ships an update every 22 months, Canto School every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Cats InputPad Pro versus Canto School: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCats InputPad ProCanto School
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 22 monthsEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo β€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 β€” better16.4
Further details β€” not scored
Size8 MB1.0 GB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYIU LEUNG RANDY CHANSegis Junior AB

In-app purchases

None

Cats InputPad Pro

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Canto School

Subscriptions1
  • Full Course Monthly$7.991 Month

Questions

Is Cats InputPad Pro free?
Cats InputPad Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Canto School free?
Canto School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Cats InputPad Pro or Canto School have ads?
Neither Cats InputPad Pro nor Canto School shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Cats InputPad Pro or Canto School?
Cats InputPad Pro ships an update every 22 months, and Canto School every 2 days. Most recently, Cats InputPad Pro was updated on October 11, 2026 and Canto School on October 22, 2026.

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