# Hanzi Reader vs CaptureNote

The clearest difference is ads: CaptureNote at none against Hanzi Reader's shown. CaptureNote also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). Hanzi Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hanzi Reader sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and CaptureNote sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hanzi Reader ships an update every 6 months, CaptureNote every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 13, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hanzi Reader | CaptureNote |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 82 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sho Fujimoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1527943737) | [思迪 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1448600251) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### CaptureNote

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/capturenote-screenshot-notes/id6790012577)

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| CaptureNote Lifetime Pro | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hanzi Reader free?

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

### Is CaptureNote free?

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

### Do Hanzi Reader or CaptureNote have ads?

Hanzi Reader shows ads; CaptureNote does not.

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

Hanzi Reader ships an update every 6 months, and CaptureNote every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hanzi Reader was updated on November 13, 2026 and CaptureNote on November 10, 2026.

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