Skritter Review: Easily The Best App For Learning Characters

  • Lara Scott
    Written byLara Scott
  • Read time2 mins
  • Comments0
Arguably the best app available for learning and memorizing Chinese and Japanese characters.
Skritter Review: Easily The Best App For Learning Characters

Skritter
Skritter
Pricing: $14.99 for one month, $59.99 for 6 months, or $99.99 for one year
Positives
  • Gamified app that makes learning characters fun and addictive
  • Advanced writing recognition
  • Flashcards and review features
Negatives
  • Slightly overpriced

Summary

Hands down the best Chinese and Japanese character training app with handwriting recognition, but it is slightly overpriced.

Depth
DepthThis is 'content' richness. How comprehensive is Skritter and does it take you far in terms of levels, or is it more suited to low level/tourist learners?
Uniqueness
UniquenessIs Skritter innovative or is it just an imitation? Does it have a unique selling proposition (USP) that makes it stand out among competitors?
Quality
QualityOverall product quality indicator that covers everything from video/dialogue clarity, authenticity, explanations, and effectiveness.
Cost
CostIs Skritter acceptably priced and how does its pricing compare to market competition?

The team behind Skritter aims to make writing Chinese and Japanese characters simple for learners of these languages.

It focuses on the foundations of writing and lets you select your own goals.

I was curious about this, so decided to review the platform and see how beneficial it would be.

Skritter’s features

The app features a tool that recognises handwriting.

There are also flashcards to help you begin recognising the characters, and the platform will test you to see whether you remember the written version of the Chinese or Japanese character.

Each character has an audio recording that plays when you’re in the process of writing it.

This repeats several times.

Other features include a review option and videos to help you learn.

This app is also gamified.

Character writing interface

You’ll be shown the character first on a grid and be asked to trace it on the app.

Then, it will be over to you to form the letter, with nothing but the grid and your memory.

Thankfully, you can revisit the character at any point to refresh your memory.

I found the character writing interface highly useful.

It’s set out like a grid, which guides you when forming the character you’re focusing on.

Spaced repetition strategy

If you’ve got a memory like a sieve — just like I do — the spaced repetition strategy will help you a lot.

Every so often there is an audio recording that pronounces the phonetic version of the character.

This will help you recall how the character is pronounced and successfully retain what you learn.

Track your progress

I thought this feature was quite important when using the Skritter app.

It’s the key way to know how you’re doing.

So, the first way you’ll be able to track your progress is with a review report.

The review report shows your success rate and the number of characters you have got incorrect.

The second way is using a gamified time attack mode that has leader boards and shows your personal best.

The leader boards also show other high scores, which will encourage you to retain as much as possible.

If you’re into games as a younger learner, this is the best way to monitor how you’re advancing.

Learn the order of strokes to create characters

The stroke order feature is one of the most useful of all of them.

If you think stroke order is complicated, this feature will make the entire process simpler.

It will take you by the hand and lead you through the standard stroke order to write Chinese and Japanese characters.

Overall, it’s a brilliant app and I’m unaware of any real alternatives, so even though the price is too high for an app, it’s probably worthwhile.


Have you used Skritter before?

Share your thoughts below.

Skritter
Pricing: $14.99 for one month, $59.99 for 6 months, or $99.99 for one year

🎓 Cite article

Share link Grab the link to this article
Copy Link
The Mezzofanti Guild

WANT HELP

Learning
Languages?

Who is this?The Mezzofanti Guild
Cardinal MezzofantiCardinal Guiseppe Mezzofanti was a 19th century polyglot who is believed to have spoken at least 39 languages!Learn more
Support me by sharing:
  • Reddit share
  • Facebook share
  • X / Twitter share

Let me help you learn a language
JOIN THE GUILD:

Donovan Nagel
Donovan Nagel - B. Th, MA AppLing
I'm an Applied Linguistics graduate, teacher and translator with a passion for language learning (especially Arabic).
Currently learning: Greek
Greek

COMMENTS

Comment Policy: I love comments and feedback (positive and negative) but I have my limits. You're in my home here so act accordingly.
NO ADVERTISING. Links will be automatically flagged for moderation.
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."
- Ludwig Wittgenstein
© The Mezzofanti Guild, 2024. NAGEL PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved.
Join The Guild

Let Me Help You Learn Mandarin Chinese

  • Get my exclusive Mandarin content delivered straight to your inbox.
  • Learn about the best Mandarin language resources that I've personally test-driven.
  • Get insider tips for learning Mandarin.

ChineseMandarin Chinese

No spam. Ever.