# El Markaba vs Hanzi Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: El Markaba at none against Hanzi Reader's 2. El Markaba also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hanzi Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. El Markaba asks for nothing beyond the download.

El Markaba ships an update every 3 days, Hanzi Reader every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | El Markaba | Hanzi Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 6 months |
| Size | 30 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Medhat Maged](https://appshunter.io/developer/1587396098) | [Sho Fujimoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527943737) |

## What reviewers say

### El Markaba

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/el-markaba/id6748659111)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Hanzi Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanzi-reader-learn-chinese/id6762368165)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Hanzi Reader Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Hanzi Reader Pro | $28.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is El Markaba free?

El Markaba is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hanzi Reader free?

Hanzi Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do El Markaba or Hanzi Reader have ads?

Hanzi Reader shows ads; El Markaba does not.

### Which is updated more often, El Markaba or Hanzi Reader?

El Markaba ships an update every 3 days, and Hanzi Reader every 6 months. Most recently, El Markaba was updated on November 12, 2026 and Hanzi Reader on November 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*