# 读典籍 vs ModernChineseDictionary

The clearest difference is rating: 读典籍 at 5.0 against ModernChineseDictionary's 3.9. 读典籍 also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 62%) and in-app purchases (none vs 14). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ModernChineseDictionary sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. 读典籍 asks for nothing beyond the download.

读典籍 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 97 and 64 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of 读典籍's written reviews are positive against 62% of ModernChineseDictionary's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 3, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 读典籍 | ModernChineseDictionary |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (97 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id994426547/reviews)** | [3.9 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/modernchinesedictionary/id1330896529/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **97** | 64 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 61.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 180 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Xing Chen](https://appshunter.io/developer/990526001) | [Wanyouzhidian Digital Media Technology(Beijing) Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1570087117) |

## What reviewers say

### 读典籍

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id994426547)

This app revolutionizes classical Chinese text reading with interactive features and AI. It offers side-by-side modern Chinese translations, contextual annotations, and a built-in classical Chinese dictionary. Enjoy offline reading, cloud sync, and customizable display options.

**Highlights:** Side-by-side modern Chinese translation, Interactive annotations, Double-tap classical Chinese dictionary lookup, Offline reading, Cloud sync for reading history, Dark mode and text customization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ModernChineseDictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/modernchinesedictionary/id1330896529)

This official dictionary app provides comprehensive Mandarin Chinese vocabulary, pronunciation, and character standards. It features expert editorial content, authentic audio, animated stroke guides, and smart search tools for learners and enthusiasts.

**Highlights:** 70,000+ verified entries, 8 specialized dictionaries, Authentic pronunciation audio, Animated stroke-order guides, Voice, camera, radical, Pinyin search, Daily vocabulary lessons, Cloud sync for word lists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (14)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 涵芬VIP会员连续包月 | $2.99 | per month |
| 18币 | $2.99 | one-time |
| 涵芬 (1个月VIP) | $2.99 | one-time |
| 40币 | $5.99 | one-time |
| 涵芬 (6个月VIP) | $9.99 | one-time |
| 78币 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 优惠购_78 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 88币 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 优惠购_88 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 现代汉语词典+涵芬联合会员优惠购_96 | $12.99 | one-time |
| 98币 | $14.99 | one-time |
| 涵芬 (1年VIP) | $14.99 | one-time |
| 现代汉语涵芬联合会员 | $17.99 | one-time |
| 涵芬（3年） | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 读典籍 free?

读典籍 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ModernChineseDictionary free?

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

### Which has better reviews, 读典籍 or ModernChineseDictionary?

读典籍 is rated higher. 读典籍 averages 5.0 out of 5 from 97 ratings, while ModernChineseDictionary averages 3.9 from 64 ratings.

### Do 读典籍 or ModernChineseDictionary have ads?

Neither 读典籍 nor ModernChineseDictionary shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 读典籍 or ModernChineseDictionary?

读典籍 ships an update every 6 weeks, and ModernChineseDictionary every 6 weeks. Most recently, 读典籍 was updated on July 3, 2026 and ModernChineseDictionary on September 22, 2026.

---

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