Comparison

LearnStories vs Study Chinese

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

Head to head
About

LearnStories

Read full description

Learn Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian, and Italian through illustrated stories made for language learners. Tap any word to see its meaning, hear the pronunciation, and save it. Review saved words with spaced repetition flashcards so they actually stick. HOW IT WORKS 1. Discover — Browse graded stories from beginner (JLPT N5, HSK 1, CEFR A1) to advanced 2. Read — Tap any word for instant definitions, audio, and example sentences 3. Save — Build your personal vocabulary list as you read 4. Study — Review with flashcards using spaced repetition CREATE YOUR OWN STORIES Generate custom AI stories on any topic. Pick your language, difficulty level, page count, and art style — get a unique illustrated story in seconds. FEATURES Ā· Graded readers for 5 languages Ā· Tap-to-translate with dictionary and audio Ā· Vocabulary tracking and highlighting Ā· Spaced repetition flashcards with context Ā· AI story creation Ā· Art styles: Storybook, Manga, Anime, Watercolor, Pixel Art Ā· Offline downloads SUPPORTED LEVELS Ā· Japanese: JLPT N5 → N1 Ā· Chinese: HSK 1 → 6 Ā· Korean: TOPIK 1 → 6 Ā· Spanish, Italian, Russian: CEFR A1 → C1 Start reading today! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://learnstories.ai/privacy_policy

About

Study Chinese

Features
Read full description

Learn Mandarin from your first character to HSK 5. Nine courses: Chinese 101 through 302, then HSK 4 and both halves of HSK 5. 3,950 words, each with pinyin, a meaning, a stroke breakdown, and an example sentence. Every level is open the day you install. None of them sit behind a paywall. Already know some Chinese? Take the placement test and skip ahead. WAYS TO PRACTICE Flashcards, flip and rate, scheduled by spaced repetition Recall, type the pinyin from the meaning. Match and pair the character with its meaning. Picture Challenge: choose the image instead of the translation. Write and trace the real stroke order. Listen, hear it, and pick the character. Dictation: hear a sentence and rebuild it. Tones: Identify which one you just heard. Tone Studio, say it out loud and get scored. The scoring runs on your phone, so it still works on a plane Sentence practice, vocabulary in context with the grammar behind it Read passages with audio, and tap any word to define it. Grammar Guide: the patterns in plain language Mock Test, a full timed HSK simulation Review, a whole chapter with no questions attached DAILY One small target a day, and a streak that lights up when you hit it. Miss A day and a Jade Shield cover you. Chapters end in a boss fight on the Trophy Road. Bao, the panda who lives in the app, reacts to how you're doing and has a wardrobe you can buy with the coins you earn. A weekly league if you like competing. A stats page if you don't. Hearts are spent only when you lose an arena or boss battle. You get five. refilling every 30 minutes. HOME SCREEN AND LOCK SCREEN Widgets show words from the chapters you've unlocked, so nothing turns up. From a course you haven't opened yet. Tap to advance without unlocking your phone. Bao appears on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island while you study. READING AND AUDIO Passages are recorded by a cast of voices. Download a chapter, and it works. offline. Double-tap a line for the translation. WHAT COSTS MONEY Nothing you need. Every course, drill, and reading is free. Premium buys unlimited hearts and Jade Shields, so a rough run never stops you. English and Bahasa Indonesia. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

LearnStories4 screens
Study Chinese4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Study Chinese at every 3 days against LearnStories's every 5 months. LearnStories's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. LearnStories sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Study Chinese sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LearnStories ships an update every 5 months, Study Chinese every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on August 30, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
LearnStories versus Study Chinese: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLearnStoriesStudy Chinese
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size48 MB96 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperZYAGA LLCEdrick Hartanto

In-app purchases

3 purchases

LearnStories

Subscriptions2
  • Reader Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Creator Monthly$24.991 Month
One-time1
  • 50 Pages$14.99
3 purchases

Study Chinese

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Plus$99.99

Questions

Is LearnStories free?
LearnStories is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Study Chinese free?
Study Chinese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LearnStories or Study Chinese have ads?
Neither LearnStories nor Study Chinese shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LearnStories or Study Chinese?
LearnStories ships an update every 5 months, and Study Chinese every 3 days. Most recently, LearnStories was updated on August 30, 2026 and Study Chinese on September 11, 2026.

Other comparisons