Comparison

CharacterMatrix vs Brave Cows

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

Head to head
About

CharacterMatrix

Master the 1000 most common Chinese characters with this comprehensive learning tool. It provides example sentences, pronunciation, translations, and character summaries to aid fluency. Explore traditional and simplified characters with customizable display options and audio playback.

Highlights
  • 1000 most common characters
  • Example sentences with translations
  • Pinyin pronunciation
  • Traditional and simplified characters
  • Audio playback
  • Customizable themes (dark/light)
  • Search functionality
Features
Read full description

With the most common 1000 characters you can read 89% of modern Chinese. This app is a great companion on your journey towards fluency. For every character you get: ⇨ 3 example sentences ⇨ Pinyin pronunciation ⇨ English translations ⇨ Character summary CharacterMatrix also offers: • Traditional (繁體) and simplified (简体) characters • Several Chinese fonts to choose from • Audio playback for all characters and sentences • Dark mode and light mode • Clean designs that look amazing on iPad and iPhone • A "random" button to jump to an arbitrary character • Search by character, Pinyin or frequency number Take these 1000 characters everywhere you go and learn at your own pace. This app displays the 1000 most used 中文 characters in a matrix that you can adjust (zoom level, font, dark/light theme). Its simple and clean user interface adapts to your device's size. If you use it in your iPad you can see more characters at the same time or split the screen. Some ideas of how to use this app: √ Learn new characters starting with the most common ones √ Understand and remember the characters using the 3 examples √ Listen to the examples and repeat to improve your pronunciation √ Use the "random" button to test your knowledge √ Use the app as a reference to practice writing/calligraphy (with various fonts) √ Use screen mirroring to show the characters on a smart TV and study with friends √ Explore by tapping on characters you don't know in the example sentences to learn more

About

Brave Cows

This app helps users learn Chinese characters through flashcards. It offers a simple and effective way to memorize characters and improve language skills. Designed for educational purposes, it focuses on efficient character acquisition.

Highlights
  • Chinese character flashcards
  • Character memorization
  • Language learning tool
  • Educational focus
  • Simple interface
Features
Read full description

Chinese character flashcard app

Screenshots

CharacterMatrix4 screens
Brave Cows2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brave Cows at none against CharacterMatrix's 1. Brave Cows also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.6). CharacterMatrix's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, rating, ads 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. CharacterMatrix sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Brave Cows asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for CharacterMatrix against 5.0 for Brave Cows. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CharacterMatrix has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CharacterMatrix ships an update monthly, Brave Cows every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CharacterMatrix versus Brave Cows: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCharacterMatrixBrave Cows
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (9 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better1
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB89 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCopyBucket, Inc.Daniel Cowser

In-app purchases

1 purchases

CharacterMatrix

One-time1
  • Unlock All 1000 Characters$9.99
None

Brave Cows

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is CharacterMatrix free?
CharacterMatrix is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Brave Cows free?
Brave Cows is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, CharacterMatrix or Brave Cows?
CharacterMatrix and Brave Cows are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 9 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do CharacterMatrix or Brave Cows have ads?
Neither CharacterMatrix nor Brave Cows shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CharacterMatrix or Brave Cows?
CharacterMatrix ships an update monthly, and Brave Cows every 4 months. Most recently, CharacterMatrix was updated on October 16, 2026 and Brave Cows on October 16, 2026.

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