# 古文岛 vs Classical Chinese

The clearest difference is review sentiment: 古文岛 at 85% against Classical Chinese's 0%. 古文岛 also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 古文岛 sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Classical Chinese sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

古文岛 holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 古文岛 has 128 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of 古文岛's written reviews are positive against 0% of Classical Chinese's.

古文岛 ships an update every 2 weeks, Classical Chinese every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 古文岛 | Classical Chinese |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (128 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1573685904/reviews)** | [2.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classical-chinese/id6742404812/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **128** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **84.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 171 MB | 380 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chongqing Dianshigu Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/964708974) | [Yangguang Ma](https://appshunter.io/developer/670518380) |

## What reviewers say

### 古文岛

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id1573685904)

This app is a comprehensive platform for learning classical Chinese literature and poetry. It offers translations, annotations, pronunciation guides, and recitation features. It also includes study plans, exam analysis, and downloadable lesson templates for students and educators.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive content for learning classical Chinese, Includes translations, annotations, and pronunciation, Recitation features and customizable study plans, Exam analysis and study aids for students, Downloadable lesson templates for teachers, Extensive collection of classic Chinese texts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 纯净模式1个月 | $0.99 | per month |
| 金紫会员1个月 | $1.99 | per month |
| 纯净模式6个月 | $4.49 | per 6 months |
| 金紫会员6个月 | $6.99 | per 6 months |
| 纯净模式12个月 | $7.49 | per year |
| 金紫会员12个月 | $11.99 | per year |
| 下载次数 | $0.99 | one-time |
| 纯净模式永久 | $29.99 | one-time |
| 永久金紫会员 | $39.99 | one-time |
| 金紫会员永久 | $39.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Comprehensive content coverage
- 📱 Intuitive and clean UI
- 💡 Useful annotation and note-taking
- 🚀 Smooth app performance
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Frequent subscription pop-ups
- 😠 Annoying and intrusive ads
- ⚠️ Limited free features
- 📉 Decreasing usability for free users
- 🚫 Some content restricted to VIP

**Reported bugs**

- App does not open
- Inconsistent audio and text synchronization
- Cannot use Traditional Chinese characters for input
- Desktop widget removed after update
- Split-screen display is not fully rendered

**Requested features**

- Support for Traditional Chinese characters in search
- Add a 小篆 font (preferably Chongxi small seal)
- Improve audio recitation quality and selection
- Add a timer for audio playback
- Increase the limit for text annotations


### Classical Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classical-chinese/id6742404812)

This app offers a comprehensive approach to learning Classical Chinese. It provides multi-level text annotations, author biographies, intelligent Q&A, and detailed word explanations to make learning efficient and enjoyable.

**Highlights:** Multi-level text annotations, Detailed word explanations, Intelligent Q&A system, Author biographies, Pinyin pronunciation guides, Article categorization

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| $1.99 / Month | $1.99 | per month |
| $19.99 / Year | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 古文岛 free?

古文岛 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Classical Chinese free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 古文岛 or Classical Chinese?

古文岛 is rated higher. 古文岛 averages 4.6 out of 5 from 128 ratings, while Classical Chinese averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do 古文岛 or Classical Chinese have ads?

Classical Chinese shows ads; 古文岛 does not.

### Which is updated more often, 古文岛 or Classical Chinese?

古文岛 ships an update every 2 weeks, and Classical Chinese every 2 months. Most recently, 古文岛 was updated on November 3, 2026 and Classical Chinese on October 30, 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.*