Comparison

Compounds! vs Cjexplorer

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

Head to head
About

Compounds!

Features
Read full description

Learn to read and write Chinese characters in the order that makes the most sense. Compounds helps you master the most common simplified Chinese characters with a focused, research-backed learning path. Instead of throwing random characters at you, the app introduces them in an order designed to improve retention and reduce frustration, combining character frequency with structural relationships so new characters build naturally on ones you already know. Each study session is designed to help you: Learn high-value characters first Practice writing from memory Reinforce pronunciation and meaning Review at the right time so you remember more with less effort Compounds is built for learners who want a smarter way to study Chinese characters, whether you are starting from scratch or filling in gaps in your reading and writing. Why this order works: Compounds is inspired by research on efficient Chinese character learning strategies, especially work showing that character frequency and structural relationships can be combined to create a more effective progression. Optimal learning order based on: K. Zhao, D. Zhao, J. Yang, W. Ma and B. Yu, “Efficient Learning Strategy of Chinese Characters Based on Usage Frequency and Structural Relationship,” 2019 IEEE 4th International Conference on Big Data Analytics (ICBDA), Suzhou, China, 2019, pp. 351-355, doi: 10.1109/ICBDA.2019.8713245. Subscription A subscription is required for full access to all features. Terms of Service: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Cjexplorer

Easily find Cangjie, Pinyin, Onyomi, and Kunyomi codes for Chinese characters. Features include clipboard lookup, live camera scanning of text or objects, and pronunciation synthesis. Supports Korean Hanja lookup, all processed on-device.

Highlights
  • Clipboard character lookup
  • Live text camera scanning
  • Live object camera scanning
  • Pinyin pronunciation synthesis
  • Korean Hanja lookup
  • On-device processing
Features
Read full description

CJExplorer is a fast, private reference tool for anyone who studies, types, reads, or teaches Chinese characters. Look up the Cangjie input code, Mandarin Pinyin, Cantonese Jyutping, Japanese Onyomi and Kunyomi readings, and Korean Hanja/Hangul information for Chinese characters in seconds. Copy a character, scan printed text with the live camera, or point the camera at an object and let on-device AI identify the related Chinese word for lookup. Whether you are learning Cangjie, checking Mandarin pronunciation, reading Cantonese, comparing Kanji readings, or working with Korean Hanja, CJExplorer keeps the answer close without forcing you into a heavy dictionary workflow. Key features: 1. Clipboard lookup for quick Cangjie, Pinyin, Jyutping, Japanese reading, and Hanja reference. 2. Live OCR camera lookup for Chinese characters and Korean Hangul romanization. 3. Object camera mode that recognizes everyday objects and shows the related Chinese word and codes. 4. Built-in Mandarin pronunciation to help learners hear the word. 5. On-device processing, so lookups stay private and the app does not need internet access. Buy CJExplorer once and keep a practical Chinese character companion ready whenever a character, reading, or input code slows you down.

Screenshots

Compounds!1 screens
Cjexplorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Cjexplorer at none against Compounds!'s 2. Compounds!'s advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. Compounds! sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Cjexplorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Compounds! ships an update every 3 days, Cjexplorer every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Compounds! versus Cjexplorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCompounds!Cjexplorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size242 MB100 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperParotidWing Shun Vincent Chu

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Compounds!

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$14.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
None

Cjexplorer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Compounds! free?
Compounds! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cjexplorer free?
Cjexplorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Compounds! or Cjexplorer have ads?
Neither Compounds! nor Cjexplorer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Compounds! or Cjexplorer?
Compounds! ships an update every 3 days, and Cjexplorer every 3 weeks. Most recently, Compounds! was updated on September 27, 2026 and Cjexplorer on October 1, 2026.

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