trainchinese

To be honest, this is a really good app. I’ve had it for many years and there are certain aspects of it that are even better than the likes of Pleco, for example. This app really excels at providing examples through sentences, and also very clearly breaks down grammar points. You can also make those separate flashcards so that you can review full sentences instead of only words if desired, and you can remember how to use grammar patterns that may be tough to remember (by making a grammar point its own flashcard!). I usually learn traditional characters but also really appreciate being able to learn both character sets. The customer service team has always been really responsive and I noticed that a previous bug that was causing the badge number in the app (that reflects due cards) to be stuck, even after deleting those cards, has now resolved. Keep up the great work!

First of all, this is a great app for learning Chinese. That’s not the problem that I had with it. The free version gives you 3 lists and 15 new words a week (Note that if you delete one, you don’t get that back). Paying for the subscription gets rid of this weekly limit, but you’ll soon notice that you’re still limited to the three lists that they give you upfront. That means that if you fill out all three lists and continue paying the subscription, you are still capped at just 300 words and are paying for essentially what you could get if you canceled your subscription. (You could get the same number of words by also just waiting 20 weeks?) All of this is a little unconventional, but I would give them a break if it weren’t for the fact that you are also allowed to buy extra lists independently of having a subscription. This means they give you the option to spend money without getting practically anything in return (You’ll still have the weekly limit). This is when I decided that something seemed a little fishy… It’s sad that such a great app became so offputting when it came to payment. The developers otherwise seem like honest, nice people, but I just simply can’t trust such a pricing model with my bank information. If you are ok with this model, this might be a good app for you.

My studies have brought me to a lot of programs. What sets this program apart is how it folds great flexibility of studying into the system. I'm a university student and am able to create my own lists, then study them in the companion apps Writer and Audio Trainer, as well as in the dictionary here that has a great reviewing study section. Seriously, there's nothing like this on the market otherwise and it's been done really well here. Buying the levels is required for the way I work, but when I see how much easier it is for me to recall things than my classmates weeks after we study something, I know it's been a good choice to buy in. Happy day ~