Comparison

Traverse vs Hanly

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

Head to head
About

Traverse

This app combines note-taking, mind mapping, and spaced repetition flashcards to enhance learning and memory. It utilizes cognitive science principles to help users deeply understand and retain information, covering the entire learning cycle from initial ideas to long-term recall.

Highlights
  • Visual note-taking with mind mapping
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
  • Cognitive science-based learning
  • Multimedia content integration
  • Cloze deletion flashcard creation
  • Knowledge sharing and community
  • Inspiration from public learning materials
Features
Read full description

Traverse is a visual learning tool that combines note-taking with mind mapping and spaced repetition flashcards. Deeply grasp topics and remember for life with our learning method based on cognitive science. WHY CHOOSE TRAVERSE? Traverse is built the way humans learn. It covers the full learning cycle, where other tools only capture a part. From initial idea to AHA moment, to a crystal clear and unforgettable mental image. • See the big picture by visually mapping out your notes • Use color coding, links and grouping to master the hardest subjects • Perfect recall with our spaced repetition algorithm that helps you revise at the optimal time • Dive deeper, add and connect all of your learning content and resources - whether text, PDF, audio, images, videos, code blocks or Latex math formulas • Quickly create flashcards from anything by just selecting it and creating a cloze (fill-in-the-blank) • Share your knowledge with your peers, and gain reputation in the community • Or get inspired by the best maps, notes and flashcards others have already created ROOTED IN COGNITIVE SCIENCE Do you find yourself writing lots of notes but rarely revisiting them? Reading many books but failing to remember and apply the lessons in real life? Losing sight of the big picture in a pile of loose snippets of knowledge? Traverse is the first tool that integrates the full human learning process as understood by the latest neuroscience, enabling you to: - Use visual encoding to gain deep and integrative concept understanding - Flatten the forgetting curve with cognitive load optimization - Optimally space out revisions to learn more in less time - Use spatial memory for long-term retention and creative imagination Learn and master any field faster than you imagined possible. Develop original ideas. Apply what you learn and improve your decision making.

About

Hanly

Learn thousands of Chinese characters efficiently by understanding their structure and origin. This app uses visual breakdowns, engaging stories, and interactive elements to build an intuitive grasp of characters and aid memorization. It focuses on frequently used vocabulary and offers a structured learning progression.

Highlights
  • Character etymology and mnemonics
  • Interactive component exploration
  • Structured learning progression
  • Spaced repetition system
  • Extensive character dictionary
  • Stroke order animations
Features
Read full description

Chinese characters are not just random shapes - learn 1000 characters in months by understanding their structure and origin! Through visual breakdowns and engaging stories, Hanly helps you develop an intuitive grasp of Chinese characters and to efficiently remember them. Hanly starts with simple components and quickly builds up to complex characters, while focusing on the most frequently used vocabulary. CARDS THAT MAKE CHARACTERS COME ALIVE Etymology, memorable illustrations, mnemonics: we will provide the most helpful information to get a character to come alive in your imagination and stick in your memory for good. INTUITIVE INTERACTIVE UI Play with characters like they’re Lego blocks! Explore radicals, components, compound words, and character relationships - all just one click away! CAREFULLY OPTIMIZED LEARNING PROGRESSION Start with simple building blocks and naturally progress to complex characters. Our carefully designed levels introduce the most frequent characters early while maintaining coherent, meaningful themes. EXTENSIVE CHARACTER DICTIONARY & SEARCH Search by character, pinyin or meaning to find: - Character meanings and pronunciations - Usage in compound words and characters - Frequency and HSK level - Radical forms - Stroke order animations - Character evolution history SPACED REPETITION ENGINE INTEGRATED WITH THE UI Built-in spaced repetition helps you review characters at the perfect time, with review schedule optimized for how well you know a given character. Character progress is deeply integrated with the UI, so that you can spot the characters you are learning on any page. AND MANY MORE FEATURES! - Detailed learning statistics - Character etymology stories & fun facts - Explore characters & radicals sorted by their frequency - Personal note-taking system - Easily mark characters you already know Terms of use: https://www.hanlyapp.com/terms-of-use Privacy policy: https://www.hanlyapp.com/privacy-policy Contact us: We’d love to hear from your feedback about Hanly! Please send us an email with your thoughts and suggestions at tutu@hanlyapp.com

Screenshots

Traverse4 screens
Hanly4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hanly at 99% against Traverse's 29%. Hanly also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Traverse's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Traverse sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $15.00 per month and Hanly sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hanly holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hanly has 357 ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of Traverse's written reviews are positive against 99% of Hanly's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Traverse ships an update every 3 months, Hanly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 11, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Traverse versus Hanly: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTraverseHanly
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (19 ratings)4.9 (357 ratings) — better
Positive reviews28.6% of reviews99.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings19357 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB241 MB
Age rating17+9+
DeveloperEASY CASTLE LTDArtur Gorokh

Customer experience

Traverse

All ratings19 ratings
Positive36.8%
Neutral5.3%
Negative57.9%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive28.6%
Neutral4.8%
Negative66.7%

Hanly

All ratings357 ratings
Positive99.2%
Neutral0.3%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews217 reviews
Positive99.1%
Neutral0.5%
Negative0.5%

Bugs and requests

Traverse

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Hanly

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • No known major bugs reported

Requested features

3 requests
  • Addition of writing practice for characters
  • Inclusion of example sentences for each character
  • Expansion of content to cover more advanced vocabulary

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Traverse

Subscriptions1
  • Traverse Member$15.001 Month
1 purchases

Hanly

Subscriptions1
  • Hanly Premium$5.991 Month

Questions

Is Traverse free?
Traverse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hanly free?
Hanly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Traverse or Hanly?
Hanly is rated higher. Traverse averages 2.5 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while Hanly averages 4.9 from 357 ratings.
Do Traverse or Hanly have ads?
Neither Traverse nor Hanly shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Traverse or Hanly?
Traverse ships an update every 3 months, and Hanly every 2 weeks. Most recently, Traverse was updated on June 11, 2026 and Hanly on September 29, 2026.

Other comparisons