Comparison

VerticalChinese vs Learn Chinese

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

Head to head
About

VerticalChinese

Explore classical Chinese literature with a beautiful, vertical layout and an integrated dictionary. Understand characters, toggle between traditional and simplified scripts, and utilize spaced-repetition flashcards to aid memorization. Features read-aloud audio and customizable themes for a serene learning experience.

Highlights
  • Vertical, character-by-character layout
  • Integrated dictionary with stroke order
  • Toggle Traditional/Simplified Chinese, Pinyin, English
  • Read-aloud audio mode with pronunciation
  • Spaced-repetition flashcards
  • Progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Vertical Chinese is a calm, beautiful place to read classical Chinese (文言) — and a built-in dictionary that helps you understand every character. Read the Daodejing, the Analects, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Tang poetry, Records of the Grand Historian, and more — 250+ foundational texts, laid out vertically and character by character, the way they were written. READ • Vertical, character-by-character layout with a steady pinyin gutter • Toggle Traditional 繁 / Simplified 简, pinyin 拼, and English 英 • 聽書 read-aloud (audiobook) mode, plus per-word pronunciation • Warm rice-paper design, with light & dark themes UNDERSTAND — a dictionary built in • Tap any character for pinyin, meaning, and animated stroke order • Full CC-CEDICT word lookup — search by character, pinyin, or English • Radical index to find characters you can't type • Example sentences with pinyin and English REMEMBER • Save any character or word with a tap • Spaced-repetition flashcards (練習) to review what you save • Track your progress from carp to dragon — 鯉躍龍門

About

Learn Chinese

Features
Read full description

Interactive Chinese Character Mastery: Kick-start your Chinese learning journey Learn Chinese is the ultimate app designed for foreigners, helping you master Chinese characters through an innovative three-stage learning system (Listen → Write → Review). Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to improve your character recognition skills, our app provides a comprehensive and engaging learning experience. Unlock your full potential with a Pro subscription: Learn Chinese is free to download and offers a wealth of core features to help you get started easily. Subscribing to the Pro version gives you access to our full suite of advanced tools, including detailed analytics, unlimited course selection, and exclusive learning content. Core Learning Features (Free): • Chinese Character Lookup (including pinyin, radicals, strokes, and phrases) • Word Lookup • Idiom Lookup • Xiehouyu Lookup • Vocabulary Statistics • Lookup History • Vocabulary Collection Advanced Features (Professional Subscription): • Build your own Chinese character learning packages and practice pinyin dictation based on pronunciation • Build your own word learning packages and practice word dictation based on pronunciation • Build your own idiom learning packages and practice idiom completion based on pronunciation • Build your own idiom learning packages and practice Chinese character strokes using a mouse or handwriting Modern User Experience: • Grid-style homepage: Clear lesson layout and intuitive progress overview • Multi-language Support: Available in English, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai, and Indonesian • Responsive Design: Optimized for all screen sizes, with a modern and simple interface • Dark Mode: Fully supports the system dark theme Ideal for Global Learners: Designed specifically for Chinese learners from various countries. Our multilingual interface ensures everyone can learn comfortably in their native language. Join the global community of Chinese learners and start mastering Chinese characters today!

Screenshots

VerticalChinese4 screens
Learn Chinese4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: VerticalChinese at none against Learn Chinese's 2. Learn Chinese's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 18 months) and device support (4 vs 1). On price and ads 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. Learn Chinese sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. VerticalChinese asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VerticalChinese ships an update every 18 months, Learn Chinese weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
VerticalChinese versus Learn Chinese: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVerticalChineseLearn Chinese
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 18 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS18.216 — better
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB82 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDigital X Prairie LLC经纬 宛

In-app purchases

None

VerticalChinese

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Learn Chinese

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$0.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$1.991 Year

Questions

Is VerticalChinese free?
VerticalChinese is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Learn Chinese free?
Learn Chinese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do VerticalChinese or Learn Chinese have ads?
Neither VerticalChinese nor Learn Chinese shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VerticalChinese or Learn Chinese?
VerticalChinese ships an update every 18 months, and Learn Chinese weekly. Most recently, VerticalChinese was updated on November 4, 2026 and Learn Chinese on October 30, 2026.

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