Hanzi Writer review
An all-round Chinese handwriting app with structured courses, review tools, and offline practice.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Hanzi Writer is a handwriting-practice app for learners of written Chinese. It combines animated stroke-order guidance with real-time correction, HSK 1–9 courses, spaced-repetition review, on-device OCR, an offline dictionary, custom practice topics, Anki deck import, and printable worksheets. Its audience includes beginners following a structured curriculum, learners building character-writing accuracy, and students who want practice materials that work offline.
The product uses a freemium model. Core handwriting practice, HSK courses, and spaced-repetition review are available on the free plan. Premium Monthly and Premium Annual plans provide Pro features through in-app subscriptions. The published plan structure gives buyers a choice between recurring monthly access and an annual option, while the app’s pricing may vary by region and store. Multi-device progress synchronization is also available through Pro features.
Hanzi Writer’s breadth is its main distinction within handwriting practice: it combines guided stroke correction, curriculum-based study, custom practice, OCR, offline tools, worksheets, and Anki import in one app. It supports iOS, Android, and macOS, with synchronization across devices, and Anki is the listed integration. This makes it a strong fit for Chinese learners who want one flexible study tool rather than a narrowly focused character drill app. Learners seeking broader language-learning coverage or a wider integration ecosystem should consider a different type of product.
Hanzi Writer pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Real-time stroke-order validation and correction
- HSK 1–9 courses with spaced-repetition review
- Offline practice, OCR, worksheets, and Anki import
- Where it doesn't
- Progress synchronization is available through Pro features
- The listed integration is limited to Anki
- Its focus is written Chinese rather than broader language study
Hanzi Writer fact sheet, pricing and score →
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