iWrite Wenzi vs Chinese 101
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
iWrite Wenzi
Master Chinese writing with an interactive iPad app. This method uses etymology, graphemes, and real-time feedback to ensure correct stroke order and retention. Learn the cultural context behind characters through ancient script analysis.
- Etymology-based methodology
- Stroke-checking writing pad
- Real-time feedback and reinforcement
- Ancient bone script (jiagu) analysis
- Grapheme-based comprehension
- Pinyin and Mandarin pronunciation
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iWrite Wenzi, the iPad App for Chinese Writing Get ready to learn writing Chinese like never before! This professor-developed method for learning to write Chinese is now available for the first time in an interactive touch application on the iPad. A GROUND-BREAKING METHODOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY Proven learning and memory retention techniques are combined with our unique etymology-based methodology for teaching Chinese writing, developed by a life-long educator and scholar who has devoted his life to creating effective learning systems in fields ranging from medicine, to mathematics, computer science, and more. He is symbolized by our icon and mascot, Professor Panda™. A NEW ALGORITHM THAT WON’T LET YOU FAIL In addition to the animated master character that can show you how a character is correctly written anytime and every time you need guidance our stroke-checking writing pad guarantees you will write each and every character correctly every single time. Soon you will be writing characters with confidence, knowing the correct stroke direction, order and number of strokes. The built-in realtime feedback, positive reinforcement and compelling user experience will help you retain what you acquired and keep you going to achieve your writing goals. EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH AND JIAGU IMAGES You will learn the fascinating way in which Chinese characters were constructed thousands of years ago. The notes for each character is based on our original research and authentic roots of the earliest Chinese bone scripts, or “jiagus”. You will discover how meaning was originally constructed in Chinese character, and be able to "see" the cultural context embedded in the modern characters used today. You get to know Chinese culture first hand at once when you study with this app. USING “GRAPHEMES” TO BOOST COMPREHENSION Delight in learning how to decipher the meaning of more complex Chinese Characters as you learn to recognize the most basic graphical units of meaning, which we call “graphemes.” The manner and use of graphemes is unique to the model of Chinese Writing Systems invented by our founder to make understanding Chinese characters both more logical and more intuitive. LEARN FROM A RESEARCH TEAM DEDICATED TO CHINESE WRITING While there are many useful products and methods for learning to speak Chinese, few if any compelling products exist for learning writing Chinese characters, mainly because both teaching and learning to write Chinese has typically been considered too challenging. As our enterprise name, Chinese Writing Systems™ indicates, our focus is Chinese writing. We specialize on providing content, methods, tools and other materials to help people effectively learn to recognize and produce Chinese characters through understanding the true nature of the writing system. But don’t worry, the spoken Mandarin and written pronunciation in pinyin are provided for every character as part of the total character-learning experience in the app. A ROADMAP FOR BUILDING YOUR KNOWLEDGE In each lesson the ten characters presented have been carefully selected and grouped to demonstrate the underlying principles how characters are constructed. Going beyond learning those characters you will appreciate the inner workings of Chinese writing as a logical system that will facilitate and speed up the learning process. You will find learning to become easier and faster as each lesson builds upon the previous one to increase your skills and improve your performance. MORE THAN JUST CHARACTERS As you progress through the lessons, you will come to understand the logic and techniques used to construct graphical meaning in Chinese characters. You will also make discoveries about the culture, values, beliefs and practices of the ancient Chinese people in the notes about the origin of the characters. Start writing and learning Chinese characters now with iWrite Wenzi!
Chinese 101
Master Chinese characters through interactive tracing and pronunciation exercises. Features multiple learning modes, quizzes, and a memory game to reinforce knowledge. Share your progress and learn in an ad-free environment.
- Interactive character tracing
- Pronunciation guidance
- Multiple learning modes (Easy, Normal, Freestyle)
- Character quizzes
- Memory Flip Game
- Progress sharing
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Learn to write and pronounce Chinese characters with our fun and interactive app. • EASY mode provides a guiding hand to help you trace the characters. • NORMAL mode allows you to enhance your writing precision. • FREESTYLE mode encourages you to write in your unique style and check your understanding from the other modes. Reinforce what you've learned with our interactive QUIZ feature, letting you put your knowledge to the test. With illustrations, see the Chinese characters come to life through their meanings. Challenge yourself with the Memory Flip Game, a fun way to learn. As you learn and master new characters, you can share your scores directly from the app with your friends. Celebrate your progress and inspire others! Our app is completely ad-free, ensuring a seamless and uninterrupted learning experience from the start. After trying a selection of characters for free, you can access the full content with a simple in-app purchase. We welcome your feedback! Visit the support link to suggest new features for future updates. If you find our app beneficial, share it with your friends and family. Thank you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: iWrite Wenzi at none against Chinese 101's 1. iWrite Wenzi also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). Chinese 101's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 42 months) and ratings volume (16 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Chinese 101 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. iWrite Wenzi asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for iWrite Wenzi against 4.4 for Chinese 101. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chinese 101 has 16 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
iWrite Wenzi ships an update every 42 months, Chinese 101 monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | iWrite Wenzi | Chinese 101 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | 4.4 (16 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 16 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 42 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 31 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Chinese Writing Systems, Inc. | Aspul Studios LLC |
Customer experience
iWrite Wenzi
Chinese 101
In-app purchases
iWrite Wenzi
No in-app purchases
Chinese 101
- Characters Pack$3.99
Questions
Is iWrite Wenzi free?
Is Chinese 101 free?
Which has better reviews, iWrite Wenzi or Chinese 101?
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