LearnStories vs Study Chinese
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
LearnStories
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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 ā Browse graded stories from beginner (JLPT N5, HSK 1, CEFR A1) to advanced 2. Read ā Tap any word for instant definitions, audio, and example sentences 3. Save ā Build your personal vocabulary list as you read 4. Study ā 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 ā 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 ā N1 Ā· Chinese: HSK 1 ā 6 Ā· Korean: TOPIK 1 ā 6 Ā· Spanish, Italian, Russian: CEFR A1 ā 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
Study Chinese
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
| Parameter | LearnStories | Study Chinese |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 3 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 ā better | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 48 MB | 96 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ZYAGA LLC | Edrick Hartanto |
In-app purchases
LearnStories
- Reader Monthly$9.991 Month
- Creator Monthly$24.991 Month
- 50 Pages$14.99
Study Chinese
- Premium Monthly$2.991 Month
- Premium Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Lifetime Plus$99.99





