Pinyin Reader vs Chety
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Pinyin Reader
This reading tool automatically adds pinyin annotations to Chinese characters on web pages and PDFs. It offers translation, text-to-speech playback, and pronunciation practice to enhance learning efficiency and pronunciation skills.
- Automatic pinyin annotations
- Integrated web and PDF reader
- Character definition and pronunciation lookup
- Sentence-by-sentence text-to-speech
- Pronunciation assessment and shadowing practice
- Vocabulary and sentence saving
- Ad-free reading experience
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Pinyin Reader - A smart reading tool designed for Chinese language learners. Browse any Chinese web page with automatic pinyin annotations on Chinese characters. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced learner, Pinyin Reader helps improve your reading efficiency and pronunciation skills. Key Features: SMART PINYIN ANNOTATIONS - Built-in browser that automatically adds pinyin to Chinese characters - Color-coded tonal pinyin and toneless display modes - One-tap toggle for pinyin display - Powered by a proprietary self-trained model for superior annotation accuracy HSK LEVEL FILTER - Choose your level, from HSK 1 to HSK 7-9 - Pinyin fades from the words you already know - Names, proper nouns and technical terms keep their pinyin - Works in Reader Mode, the PDF reader and the built-in browser - Applies instantly, covers 6,330 words, fully offline IMMERSIVE READER MODE - Ad-free, distraction-free reading experience - Adjustable font size, font style, and background themes - Tap any character to view definitions and hear standard pronunciation TRANSLATION - Translate page content into 108 target languages - Seamless translation integrated within Reader Mode PDF READER - Open local PDF files with automatic pinyin annotations - Translate PDF content into your target language - Tap characters for pronunciation and dictionary lookup - Outline navigation, text/pinyin search, and theme switching - Pinyin scales with the page as you pinch to zoom, sharp at any level - Never overlaps the text or clips tone marks LISTENING MODE - Sentence-by-sentence text-to-speech playback - Karaoke-style pinyin highlighting synced with audio playback - Adjustable speed (0.4x to 2.0x) for different proficiency levels - Current sentence highlighting for easy follow-along VOICE CUSTOMIZATION - Browse all Chinese speech synthesis voices available on your device - Preview each voice before selecting - Supports system voices and third-party TTS engines SHADOWING PRACTICE - Record your reading after listening to the reference audio - Intelligent scoring system for real-time pronunciation assessment - Continuous improvement of your Mandarin pronunciation COLLECTION & NOTES - Save vocabulary and favorite sentences for review - Add personal notes with color tags - Archive management organized by source page LEARNING GROWTH SYSTEM - Daily learning streak to build consistent habits - Customizable daily goals (5 to 60 minutes) - XP rewards for reading, listening, shadowing, reviewing, and collecting - 3 daily quests at starter, core, and challenge levels - 6 achievement milestones from first session to mastery - Share a redesigned card with streak, stats, vocabulary, and QR code - Optional daily reminders to keep your streak alive BOOKMARKS & HISTORY - Bookmark frequently visited pages - Automatic browsing history grouped by date - Search and batch management support MULTI-LANGUAGE SUPPORT - Interface available in 51 languages - Google and Bing search engine support PRIVACY FIRST - All data stored locally on your device - No registration or login required - No personal data collected Whether you're reading news, novels, or academic articles, Pinyin Reader is your perfect companion for learning Chinese. Download now and start your efficient Chinese reading journey! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Chety
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This dictionary app is an interactive adaptation of the landmark volume "Chinese Characters: An Easy Learning Based on Their Etymology and Evolution", the result of nearly three decades of research by the renowned Spanish sinologist Pedro Ceinos-Arcones. It features etymology-based explanations for over 5,000 individual Chinese characters, covering most characters in modern use, including all HSK exam levels. It also includes a full words dictionary with morphological analysis, original historical-etymological explanations, and linguistic notes, as well as a variety of interactive tools to facilitate the learning process. The aim of this app is to help readers train their eyes to recognize and understand Chinese writing at both the individual character and full-word levels. Far from being a static project, this app is a dynamic, living work. Pedro Ceinos-Arcones and the development team continue to actively expand and update its content, making this platform the definitive, evolving hub for his lifelong research. What You Will Find in This App: • Individual Character Entries: - Core Fundamentals: View character shapes, check Pinyin, listen to high-quality audio pronunciations, and learn primary meanings. - Etymological Insight: Access unique etymological and mnemonic concepts from Ceinos’ research to ease your comprehension and study. - Visual Evolution: Track the history of characters through visual illustrations showing their evolution over time (where available). - Scientific Classification: Explore three levels of semantic grouping leading to the character family (picto-semantic series) based on the original book's framework. - Contextual Vocabulary: Practice and contextualize every character with one or two target vocabulary words. • Comprehensive Word Entries: - CC-Cedic Dictionary: Built-in integration for robust, reliable word definitions. - Essential Functions: Clear presentation of shapes, Pinyin, audio pronunciation, and primary meanings. - Morphological Analysis: Master compound words through detailed explanations that clarify the logic behind character combinations. • Smart Study System: - Built-in Flashcards: Optimize, track, and accelerate your learning process with an integrated review system designed for efficient memorization. - Interactive Reader: Paste full phrases or texts and tap to see word definitions or listen to their pronunciation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Pinyin Reader at Free against Chety's $14.99. Chety's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Pinyin Reader is free to download; Chety costs $14.99 up front. Pinyin Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Chety asks for nothing beyond the download.
Pinyin Reader ships an update every 2 weeks, Chety every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Pinyin Reader | Chety |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 135 MB | 175 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 粤珠 袁 | Ian Blas |
In-app purchases
Pinyin Reader
- Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
- Pro Annual$12.991 Year
Chety
No in-app purchases









