Comparison

TOPIK Note vs Hourly Hangul

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

Head to head
About

TOPIK Note

Master Korean vocabulary for the TOPIK exam with intelligent spaced repetition and diverse learning methods. Practice with real exam questions and track your progress with detailed statistics. Tailored to all TOPIK levels, this app ensures efficient study by focusing on words that matter most.

Highlights
  • Spaced repetition system (SM-2)
  • 4 learning methods per word
  • Audio pronunciation for words and sentences
  • Native Korean definitions and examples
  • Practice with real TOPIK exam questions
  • Progress tracking and statistics
  • Multi-language interface
Read full description

You already know you want to pass TOPIK. The real question is how — without burning study time on words that won't move your score, or losing a week to reviews you didn't need. TOPIK Note sorts 9,000+ Korean words by exact TOPIK level and schedules your reviews for you, so every minute goes to the words that count. Study what matters, when it matters. The app remembers what you know and what you don't. SM-2 spaced repetition (8-stage intervals) tracks every answer and adjusts your schedule automatically. Hard words come back sooner. Words you've nailed space out further — so you're never drilling something you already own. FOUR WAYS TO LEARN EACH WORD • See the Korean word, pick the meaning • See the meaning, pick the Korean word • Fill in the missing word in a sentence • Read a Korean sentence and choose what it means Same word, four angles. By the time it sticks, you can use it in context — not just spot it on a flashcard. With 36,000+ quizzes, you won't run out. HEAR EVERY WORD Tap the speaker on any word or example sentence to hear how it's pronounced. Reading Korean is half the work — knowing how it sounds is the other half. MADE BY KOREANS, REVIEWED BY KOREANS Every definition and example is written and checked by native Koreans — no clumsy machine translations to unlearn later. EVERY TOPIK LEVEL, ONE APP • Beginner (Level 1–2) — foundational words • Intermediate (Level 3–4) — everyday and compound words • Advanced (Level 5–6) — academic and nuanced vocabulary Pick your level. Switch anytime. The app adapts to your pace. GRAMMAR BUILT ON WORDS YOU ALREADY KNOW 210 TOPIK grammar points — from beginner particles to advanced connectives (79 beginner, 94 intermediate, 37 advanced). Every example sentence is built from vocabulary you've already studied, so a grammar point arrives as a sentence you can actually say, not a rule to memorize. • Fill-in-the-blank, conjugation, and meaning quizzes for every point • Spot a grammar pattern inside any word's example sentence and tap straight through to its explanation • Reviews are scheduled the same way as vocabulary — the grammar you keep missing comes back sooner PRACTICE REAL TOPIK EXAMS Vocabulary gets you ready. Past exams tell you if you're ready. • 1,700+ real TOPIK I & II questions pulled from 21 past exam papers — 878 reading and 850 listening • Listening questions play the original exam audio. Answer first, then read the full transcript to see exactly what you missed • Submit your answer, then read an explanation that walks you through the correct choice — available in English, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) • "My answered questions" keeps everything you've tried, sorted by wrong and right, so you can drill your weak spots • Exam stats: overall accuracy, separate TOPIK I and II progress, a 30-day trend, and a breakdown by question type TRACK YOUR PROGRESS A stats dashboard that earns its space: • Daily study streak • Accuracy across each quiz type and TOPIK level • Wrong Notes — every word you miss, collected automatically so you can target your weak spots No vanity metrics. Just signals for where to focus next. STUDY ON YOUR TERMS Bookmark words you want to revisit. Set a daily reminder — even five minutes a day compounds over weeks. YOUR LANGUAGE, YOUR INTERFACE App interface in English, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese (Simplified and Traditional). Word definitions in all of those plus Korean. The Korean stays Korean — only the explanations change. You've decided to learn Korean. TOPIK Note makes sure your time goes to the right words, in the right order. Terms of Use (EULA): https://topik-note.com/en/terms-of-service.html Privacy Policy: https://topik-note.com/en/privacy-policy.html

About

Hourly Hangul

Learn Korean vocabulary through bite-sized lessons delivered via widgets or notifications. Offers comprehensive word details, native audio, and interactive quizzes. Progress from foundational Hangul to advanced TOPIK levels.

Highlights
  • Scheduled vocabulary notifications
  • Lock-screen and home-screen widgets
  • Native Korean audio
  • Hangul alphabet and pronunciation training
  • TOPIK level vocabulary
  • Flashcards and quizzes
  • Offline access
Features
Read full description

Learn Korean from your Lock Screen. Hourly Hangul puts new words into your day with widgets and reminders, then helps you practice Hangul, pronunciation and TOPIK vocabulary. A NEW WORD, THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY Add a Lock Screen or Home Screen widget and choose scheduled word reminders. Set your own pace and quiet hours. Open a word for its Hangul, romanization, meaning, example sentences and Korean pronunciation audio. FROM YOUR FIRST LETTERS TO TOPIK 6 Start with Hangul Foundations: learn the alphabet, practice reading and writing, and build syllables from jamo. Take a placement test or choose vocabulary from TOPIK levels 1–6. PRACTISE, REVIEW, REMEMBER • Save difficult words to your personal flashcards. • Build recall with smart review and short quizzes. • Practice speaking with microphone-based pronunciation feedback. • Learn grammar through sentences and answer explanations. • Follow your collection, learning history and progress. Keep learning with offline access and private iCloud sync. No ads. Add a widget and make Korean part of your daily routine. Try Hourly Hangul free for 7 days. Paid access is required after the trial. Choose your interface language in Settings. Some learning content is available only in English. End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://hourlylearning.com/language/terms Privacy Policy: https://hourlylearning.com/language/privacy Questions or suggestions? Email support@radish.software.

Screenshots

TOPIK Note4 screens
Hourly Hangul4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Hourly Hangul at none against TOPIK Note's shown. Hourly Hangul also leads on ratings volume (417 vs 52). TOPIK Note's advantage is review sentiment (63% vs 45%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TOPIK Note sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $10.99 per month and Hourly Hangul sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for TOPIK Note against 4.8 for Hourly Hangul. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hourly Hangul has 417 ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of TOPIK Note's written reviews are positive against 45% of Hourly Hangul's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TOPIK Note ships an update every 4 days, Hourly Hangul every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
TOPIK Note versus Hourly Hangul: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTOPIK NoteHourly Hangul
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (52 ratings) — better4.8 (417 ratings)
Positive reviews62.5% of reviews — better44.8% of reviews
Number of ratings52417 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS16.4 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size153 MB405 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJihoon LEERadish Retail, LLC

Customer experience

TOPIK Note

All ratings52 ratings
Positive98.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive62.5%
Neutral9.4%
Negative28.1%

Hourly Hangul

All ratings415 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral1.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive44.8%
Neutral6.9%
Negative48.3%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

TOPIK Note

Subscriptions2
  • Premium (Monthly)$10.991 Month
  • Premium (Annual)$64.991 Year
One-time4
  • Premium Lifetime - 60% OFF$31.99
  • Premium Lifetime - 50% OFF$39.99
  • Premium Lifetime - 30% OFF$55.99
Show 1 more
  • Premium (Lifetime)$79.99
4 purchases

Hourly Hangul

Subscriptions3
  • Hourly Hangul Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Hourly Hangul Pro7 Days trial$34.991 Year
  • Hourly Hangul Pro$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Hourly Hangul Pro 30 Days$4.99

Questions

Is TOPIK Note free?
TOPIK Note is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hourly Hangul free?
Hourly Hangul is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TOPIK Note or Hourly Hangul?
TOPIK Note is rated higher. TOPIK Note averages 4.8 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while Hourly Hangul averages 4.8 from 417 ratings.
Do TOPIK Note or Hourly Hangul have ads?
TOPIK Note shows ads; Hourly Hangul does not.
Which is updated more often, TOPIK Note or Hourly Hangul?
TOPIK Note ships an update every 4 days, and Hourly Hangul every 2 days. Most recently, TOPIK Note was updated on October 25, 2026 and Hourly Hangul on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons