CastMind vs SlashHanzi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CastMind
Read full descriptionHide full description
Want to understand someone? CastMind gathers their interviews from wherever they are, so you can follow them and publish what you took away. To understand Karpathy today, you dig through Lex for one episode, Dwarkesh for another, and YouTube for his own long videos. Podcast apps can't help — they subscribe by show, so search gives you shows, not the episode he was on. CastMind works by person. — What it does for you — · Gather one person Tap + on Listen and search podcast episodes, Bilibili, and YouTube by name. Select a batch, keep them in one collection, and put them in your own order. The collection is pinned to Deep Dive on Home. · Tap a line to understand it When an English interview has a transcript, tap a line to understand it on the spot, or turn on bilingual view. If the show publishes its own transcript, it's fetched when you open the episode; YouTube and Bilibili can pull platform subtitles. · A transcript even when there isn't one Download a podcast episode and make a transcript on this iPhone. Audio never leaves the device. I ran a 3-hour-32-minute Chinese interview (210 MB) on iPhone 15 Pro Max — about 6 minutes to a full draft. It's machine dictation, so expect typos; the bar stays labeled unproofread. · Traces that leave themselves Mark a moment from the lock screen, Control Center, Siri, or your headphones without opening the app. Lines you tapped and moments you marked land in the same place. · Write a teardown you'll sign What you marked is laid out in the episode's teardown. You only write your own take. One Markdown file per episode, ready for X or your blog. · Pick up where you left off Open and continue from your last position. Each show remembers its speed; Smart Speed skips silences and Voice Boost lifts voices. Bind shows you follow to a smart collection and new episodes land there automatically. · On runs, commutes, and in the car Lock screen, Control Center, and headphone controls are ready. In the car, open CastMind on CarPlay to continue a podcast, open a show, or play a collection. · Offline first Original text, marks, and notes are readable and editable offline. No account. Nothing uploaded to the cloud. — What we deliberately don't do — No recommendation feed, charts, or people directory — you search for the person you already care about; we won't scroll content at you. No pronunciation scoring, no flashcards, and AI never writes your take for you. castmind.ai is CastMind's website.
SlashHanzi
Master Chinese vocabulary and practice speaking through immersive AI conversations. This app offers structured learning with detailed word information and realistic scenarios to build fluency.
- HSK vocabulary decks with study plan
- Detailed word information (pinyin, meaning, audio)
- Pinyin tone drills
- Immersive AI conversations
- Always-on pinyin and suggested replies
- Daily study reminders
Read full descriptionHide full description
Grow your Chinese vocabulary—then actually use it. SlashHanzi is built around learning Chinese words, with full HSK vocabulary coverage. Study structured decks with a personalized plan, and get rich detail for every word: pinyin, meaning, example sentences, and native audio. Then comes the part that makes words stick. SlashHanzi looks at what you've been learning and drops you into real-life scenarios—ordering food, taking a taxi, a visit to the doctor—for immersive conversations with an AI partner, entirely in Chinese. Ruby pinyin sits above every character, and suggested replies keep you moving whenever you're unsure. FEATURES • HSK vocabulary decks — organized by level, with a study plan that adapts to your pace. • Per-word detail — pinyin, meaning, example sentences, and audio for every word. • Pinyin tone drills — train your ear and mouth on the four tones. • Immersive AI conversations — practice the exact words you've learned in realistic everyday scenarios. • Always-on pinyin & suggested replies — never get stuck mid-conversation. • Daily reminders — set a study time and keep your streak going. From your first HSK word to holding a real conversation, SlashHanzi connects study and speaking.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: SlashHanzi at Free against CastMind's $5.99. SlashHanzi also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
SlashHanzi is free to download; CastMind costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
CastMind ships an update every 2 weeks, SlashHanzi fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | CastMind | SlashHanzi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 125 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | 文 杨 | Cumulus Labs Limited |
In-app purchases
CastMind
No in-app purchases
SlashHanzi
No in-app purchases









