Comparison

Scribe Cantonese vs Speak Cantonese

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

Head to head
About

Scribe Cantonese

Master Cantonese vocabulary with a unique study method that links words by sound for contextual understanding. Engage in various games to reinforce learning and improve listening and reading skills. Study offline and sync progress across devices.

Highlights
  • Sound-based vocabulary learning
  • 1800 common Cantonese words
  • 6 interactive Cantonese games
  • Native audio pronunciation
  • Spaced-Repetition System
  • Offline study mode
  • Progress synchronization
Features
Read full description

Scribe Cantonese has been intentionally designed to teach mastery of Chinese Cantonese vocabulary - you learn many common Hong Kong Cantonese words. Using a unique study method, words are remembered with related-sounding words, so that in real-life situations you are able to contextually select the correct word, even if you missed the tone. Study Cantonese this way, and your mind's ability to select the correct word in context increases 10 fold. Just think about it: for every similar sound, you will know the 2 or 3 possible popular words it could be. Scribe Cantonese quietly saturates your mind with all the correct linkages to learn Cantonese to a better-than-native level. This is the fastest known method to the learn Cantonese language, by focusing on learning through Cantonese games. Scribe Cantonese also includes numerous games using the same study deck, so no matter what game you feel like playing, your study picks up where you left off. You can study Cantonese YOUR way. And your dreams of China, Hong Kong and Macau can come closer. Features: - 1800 of the most common Cantonese words. - Full native audio spoken for every single word. Speak Cantonese within weeks, instead of years, with a daily commitment to study Cantonese words. - 6 Cantonese games: Cantonese flashcards, Cantonese multiple choice, Cantonese tiles, listening flashcards, listening multiple choice, matchup. - Tone markers + tone colors. - Spaced-Repetition System that.. is simply incredible. When you get down into the deeper levels with thousands of words to remember, you'll be amazed at how accurately the right word comes along. - Study Cantonese completely offline - no internet bandwidth used. Learn and study Cantonese anywhere - on the train, bus, on the way to work, sitting waiting, in coffee shops, on bed before dreaming Cantonese in your sleep. - Your choice of yale or jyutping romanisation, along with the native hanzi reading (for help with remembering the hanzi, you can use our hanzi app: Scribe Origins). - Ruby text places the reading above the hanzi character, just like in manga and anime readings. - Synchronise your progress across devices, if you want to learn Cantonese on your iPhone and iPad. - Example usage sentences and common Cantonese phrases for the most popular Cantonese words. - Most users who have gone through the entire first level unequivocally say that Scribe Cantonese is currently the fastest way to learn Cantonese language, both listening and reading skills. Scribe Cantonese is part of the Scribe Origins series of learning apps. Optional Subscription: Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, & identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user & auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user’s Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms & conditions: https://scribeorigins.com/disclaimer.html Privacy policy: https://scribeorigins.com/privacy.html

About

Speak Cantonese

Learn Cantonese with a daily phrase, native pronunciation, and context. This app focuses on practical vocabulary and a gentle learning habit for heritage speakers. It offers a structured approach to reconnecting with the language.

Highlights
  • Daily phrase with context
  • Native Hong Kong pronunciation
  • Jyutping romanization
  • Top 100 useful phrases
  • Two-minute daily practice
  • Streak tracking and XP
  • Dark mode and themes
Features
Read full description

Reconnect with Cantonese — one phrase at a time. Speak Cantonese gives you one carefully chosen phrase each day: native Hong Kong pronunciation, Jyutping romanization, and the little bit of context that makes it stick. No firehose of vocabulary. No streaks you dread. Just a quiet daily habit that brings the language of home back to your tongue. Built for heritage learners — the children and grandchildren of Cantonese speakers who understand a little, or used to, and want to find their way back. What you get —A new phrase every morning, chosen to be genuinely useful —Tap any character to hear it on its own —Native Hong Kong pronunciation, with a slow-listen mode —Jyutping romanization on every phrase —The Top 100 phrases that really come up — greetings, family, yum cha, shopping, getting around —A two-minute daily practice: listen, match, and say it aloud —Track your streak, earn XP, and watch your level grow —Three calm themes and a full dark mode Whether you are getting ready to visit family, planning a trip to Hong Kong, or simply keeping a connection alive, Speak Cantonese meets you where you are — a few minutes a day, every day. 加油 — add oil. Let’s begin.

Screenshots

Scribe Cantonese3 screens
Speak Cantonese4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Speak Cantonese at none against Scribe Cantonese's 2. Scribe Cantonese's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Scribe Cantonese sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Speak Cantonese 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 Scribe Cantonese against 5.0 for Speak Cantonese. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Scribe Cantonese ships an update every 3 weeks, Speak Cantonese fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Scribe Cantonese versus Speak Cantonese: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterScribe CantoneseSpeak Cantonese
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB49 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGuiix Pty LtdNico Liu

Customer experience

Scribe Cantonese

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral9.5%
Negative4.8%

Speak Cantonese

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Scribe Cantonese

Subscriptions1
  • Unlock All$1.491 Month
One-time1
  • Study Megapack$6.99
None

Speak Cantonese

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Scribe Cantonese free?
Scribe Cantonese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Speak Cantonese free?
Speak Cantonese is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Scribe Cantonese or Speak Cantonese?
Scribe Cantonese and Speak Cantonese are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Scribe Cantonese or Speak Cantonese have ads?
Speak Cantonese shows ads; Scribe Cantonese does not.
Which is updated more often, Scribe Cantonese or Speak Cantonese?
Scribe Cantonese ships an update every 3 weeks, and Speak Cantonese fortnightly. Most recently, Scribe Cantonese was updated on October 23, 2026 and Speak Cantonese on October 30, 2026.

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