Comparison

Hanly vs Bamboo Reader

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

Head to head
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

About

Bamboo Reader

Master Chinese by importing any document, article, or voice recording. Get instant translations, build vocabulary with smart flashcards, and study offline. Supports HSK levels 1-6 for structured learning.

Highlights
  • Import documents, articles, and web content
  • Instant word translation with pinyin
  • Smart spaced repetition flashcards
  • Offline dictionary with 50,000+ entries
  • Progress tracking for HSK levels
  • Customizable vocabulary decks
Features
Read full description

Master Chinese by reading what you love! Import any document, get instant translations, and master vocabulary with smart flashcards. Try it free! MULTIMODAL — READ ANYTHING, LEARN EVERYTHING Import your own documents, articles, stories, photos, or voice recordings! Our built-in offline dictionary with pinyin support means you'll never get stuck on unknown words. SMART SPACED REPETITION Remember new words effortlessly with our intelligent flashcard system. Focus on what you need to learn, skip what you already know. COMPLETELY OFFLINE & PRIVATE Your learning data stays on your device. Study anywhere - on planes, trains, or anywhere without internet. HSK 1-6 STRUCTURED LEARNING Whether you're just starting or preparing for advanced exams, we have curated content for every level. FEATURES: - Import PDFs, documents, and web articles - Tap any word for instant translation - Create custom flashcard decks - Track your progress across HSK levels - Offline dictionary with 50,000+ entries - Export your vocabulary lists Perfect for students, professionals, and anyone looking to improve Chinese reading comprehension. Download now and start reading Chinese your way.

Screenshots

Hanly4 screens
Bamboo Reader4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hanly at free against Bamboo Reader's freemium. Hanly also leads on ratings volume (409 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Hanly sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $5.99 per month and Bamboo Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Hanly against 5.0 for Bamboo Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hanly has 409 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hanly ships an update every 2 weeks, Bamboo Reader every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hanly versus Bamboo Reader: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHanlyBamboo Reader
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (409 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews99.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings409 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size241 MB87 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperArtur GorokhTifany Pan

Customer experience

Hanly

All ratings357 ratings
Positive99.2%
Neutral0.3%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews235 reviews
Positive99.1%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.4%

Bamboo Reader

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and 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

Bamboo Reader

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hanly

Subscriptions1
  • Hanly Premium$5.991 Month
3 purchases

Bamboo Reader

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Premium$89.99

Questions

Is Hanly free?
Hanly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bamboo Reader free?
Bamboo Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hanly or Bamboo Reader?
Bamboo Reader is rated higher. Hanly averages 4.9 out of 5 from 409 ratings, while Bamboo Reader averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Hanly or Bamboo Reader have ads?
Neither Hanly nor Bamboo Reader shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hanly or Bamboo Reader?
Hanly ships an update every 2 weeks, and Bamboo Reader every 9 days. Most recently, Hanly was updated on October 30, 2026 and Bamboo Reader on October 30, 2026.

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