Comparison

Chinese LS Touch vs Mandarin Phrasebook

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

Head to head
About

Chinese LS Touch

Master Chinese vocabulary with a comprehensive dictionary and an interactive trainer. Learn to draw characters with stroke-order guidelines and test your knowledge with multiple modes. Supports custom vocabulary import and iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • Over 100,000 Chinese vocables
  • Traditional & Simplified forms, Pinyin & Zhuyin readings
  • Stroke-order guidelines for character drawing
  • Multiple test types and modes
  • Import custom vocabulary sets
  • iCloud backup and sync
  • Leitner system (SRS) learning
Read full description

Chinese LS Touch is an App for learning chinese vocables. It combines a comprehensive chinese dictionary with a topnotch vocable trainer. The vocable trainer utilizes the unique touch interface to intuitively teach you how to draw the chinese characters by displaying strokeorder guidelines. But these are just sone of the many features helping you in learning chinese vocables. FEATURES - over 100.000 chinese vocables - all vocables have Traditional & Simplified forms, Pīn Yīn & Zhu Yin readings and english translations - many words have also german & french translation - possibility to import your own translations for the vocables - 7 default vocabulary sets (HSK 1 - 6 and all in one set) - Voice Output (5000 most popular words by native speaker recordings, rest via TTS) - possibility to create custom vocabulary sets within the program - possibility to import your own custom vocabulary sets (of vocables in the programs database) - Strokeorder guidelines for almost all chinese characters used in the dictionary (about 12.000) - numerous ways to select the vocables you want to train: - All vocables of the current set - custom selection (vocables selected via browser) - Range of vocables (e.g. vocable 40 till vocable 60) TEST - 6 Testtypes: - Vocable --> Meaning - Meaning --> Vocable - Vocable --> Reading - Reading --> Vocable - Word --> missing Character - Audio --> Meaning - 2 Testmodes: - Direct Input (drawing or keyboard) - Multiple Choice DICTIONARY - list of all vocables in the current vocabulary set or all vocables of the program‘s database - search for a specific vocably by translation, reading or the chinese word itself - display details of a specific vocable - select specific vocables for a custom selection you want to train MISC - Import your own custom vocabulary set (e.g. if you want to train only the vocables of lesson x of your textbook) - Import your own translations for the vocables (e.g. if you learn by certain translation that differs from the default translation in the program or if the translation for your language is missing) - Backup & Sync between devices via iCloud - Learning with the Leitner system (SRS) - Practice mode (for learning how to draw the chinese words/characters) - User Interface fully localized in English, French and German for more information/videos/screenshots/handbook: www.asia-ls.com/ios/chinese.html If you find a bug in the software please send me an email [jan(a)asia-ls.com] with as many information as possible so I can try to reproduce and fix it: - device & firmware - what did you do step by step - settings (current set, test mode, Leitner actice...) - does it happen always/sometime/once This app uses the CC-CEDICT (www.mdbg.net/), HanDeDict File (www.chdw.de) and CFDICT (www.chine-informations.com/chinois/open/CFDICT/) dictionary files and Icons form icon8 (https://icons8.com/license/)

About

Mandarin Phrasebook

Features
Read full description

Military-related Mandarin Chinese phrases for language learners. With Mandarin text and audio. Using this app, you can select an English phrase and view its translation and how to pronounce it in Mandarin. This app is based on the modules publicly available online from the U.S. Defense Language Institute. While this app's subject matter relates mainly to military topics, the app is broadly useful with content relating to a range of topics. • Easy to use • Contains over 600 phrases with native speaker audio recordings • Dictionary lookup: Type or say what you want to search • Pronunciation help: See the transliterated/Romanized text • Good for language learning, or as a reference

Screenshots

Chinese LS Touch4 screens
Mandarin Phrasebook4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Mandarin Phrasebook at every 6 weeks against Chinese LS Touch's every 8 months. Chinese LS Touch's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $6.99). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Chinese LS Touch costs $3.99 and Mandarin Phrasebook $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Chinese LS Touch ships an update every 8 months, Mandarin Phrasebook every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Chinese LS Touch versus Mandarin Phrasebook: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChinese LS TouchMandarin Phrasebook
Price$3.99 — better$6.99
Rating4.7 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size221 MB32 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperJan BognerQvyshift LLC

In-app purchases

None

Chinese LS Touch

No in-app purchases

None

Mandarin Phrasebook

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chinese LS Touch free?
Chinese LS Touch costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Mandarin Phrasebook free?
Mandarin Phrasebook costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chinese LS Touch or Mandarin Phrasebook have ads?
Neither Chinese LS Touch nor Mandarin Phrasebook shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Chinese LS Touch or Mandarin Phrasebook?
Chinese LS Touch ships an update every 8 months, and Mandarin Phrasebook every 6 weeks. Most recently, Chinese LS Touch was updated on November 1, 2026 and Mandarin Phrasebook on November 3, 2026.

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