CharacterMatrix vs Brave Cows
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 1000 most common characters
- Example sentences with translations
- Pinyin pronunciation
- Traditional and simplified characters
- Audio playback
- Customizable themes (dark/light)
- Search functionality
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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
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.
- Chinese character flashcards
- Character memorization
- Language learning tool
- Educational focus
- Simple interface
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Chinese character flashcard app
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Verdict
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
Both are free to download. CharacterMatrix sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Brave Cows asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
CharacterMatrix ships an update monthly, Brave Cows every 4 months. Both last shipped on October 16, 2026.
| Parameter | CharacterMatrix | Brave Cows |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (9 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 9 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 4 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 119 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CopyBucket, Inc. | Daniel Cowser |
In-app purchases
CharacterMatrix
- Unlock All 1000 Characters$9.99
Brave Cows
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CharacterMatrix free?
Is Brave Cows free?
Which has better reviews, CharacterMatrix or Brave Cows?
Do CharacterMatrix or Brave Cows have ads?
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