# CoreNotes vs Hanzi Reader

The clearest difference is ads: CoreNotes at none against Hanzi Reader's shown. CoreNotes also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. CoreNotes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Hanzi Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

CoreNotes ships an update fortnightly, Hanzi Reader every 6 months. Both last shipped on November 13, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | CoreNotes | Hanzi Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 months |
| Size | 62 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.5** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Khamidjon Egamov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808009848) | [Sho Fujimoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527943737) |

## What reviewers say

### CoreNotes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/corenotes-tldr-summary/id6760457827)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CoreNotes Pro \| Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| CoreNotes Pro \| Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


### 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 CoreNotes free?

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

### Is Hanzi Reader free?

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

### Do CoreNotes or Hanzi Reader have ads?

Hanzi Reader shows ads; CoreNotes does not.

### Which is updated more often, CoreNotes or Hanzi Reader?

CoreNotes ships an update fortnightly, and Hanzi Reader every 6 months. Most recently, CoreNotes was updated on November 13, 2026 and Hanzi Reader on November 13, 2026.

---

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