42 Best Apps for Learning Mandarin Chinese in 2026

Looking for the best apps to learn Mandarin Chinese on Android, iOS & Web? If so, this article is perfect for you.

There are many compelling reasons why you should learn Chinese. Besides being the most spoken native tongue, Chinese is one of the most complex languages.

This is because of its thousands of scripts, tone inflections, uses, pronunciations, and various dialects. Thus, learners are always looking for ways to simplify it.

Of all the methods, apps are one popular option. Today, we have plenty of apps to help you learn and improve almost every facet of the Chinese language.

Some market players have rightly recognized the need for innovative ideas while learning a challenging language. So, they’ve created intelligent desktop software and mobile apps to help you learn languages.

Most students study a second language during school, but learning a new skill is never too late. As a result, adult language learners account for a significant portion of the population.

Although being multilingual can be a gateway to a high standard of living in today’s world, most people cannot devote time to language study due to personal and professional commitments. Plus, language learning is never easy.

Luckily, we live in the digital age. Thanks to your modern smartphone, a wealth of knowledge is available at your fingertips. There are plenty of good apps to learn a language like Mandarin.

These Chinese learning apps will let you swipe and help you improve your Mandarin fluency.

But first…

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How do such apps help?

Apps for learning Chinese

When using apps, you can choose your speed based on your plan and learning habits.

You are not obligated to attend a class on a busy or off day, so you may not learn anything useful. You have total control over when and how much you study.

Most apps include quick sessions you can easily fit into your timetable. Then, depending on your needs, their lesson plans will help you start with basics such as greetings and idioms.

It can also keep you constructively busy in the short periods between schedules.

Images, music, video, and other visual aids can enhance your success and appeal. Yet, most mobile app companies use visualization. This may be a practical way to remember language or essential phrases.

Most apps offer crossword puzzles, MCQs, and games to speed up your vocabulary study.

You can also role-play to immerse yourself in settings and dialogue. The speaking exercises are more valuable than learning to talk on your own.

Anyone with a smartphone, tablet, or computer may use it to learn Chinese.

You do not need to enroll in a language school or find a tutor. The mobile apps are also far less expensive than online or in-person language lessons.

Do apps alone suffice for learning Chinese?

In a word, the answer would be no.

The best way to learn any language, including tricky Chinese, is through live classes with a teacher. This is something I am pretty confident about. This can be offline in the classroom setup or face-to-face online.

In their current form, mobile apps cannot fully replace traditional methods like tutors, books, and notebooks. Multimedia resources like audio, music, movies, and podcasts also benefit, though to varying degrees.

Apps for Chinese learners

There are obvious reasons for that.

First, no single app for learning Mandarin can cover everything you need to know about the Chinese language. And none of them are flawless, so you might end up uninstalling all the others.

Second, language learning demands speaking and listening practice, preferably with native speakers, skilled educators, or classmates. This helps to grasp where and how to use the language correctly and adequately.

It also shows how colloquial and dialectal usage differs from the online book and the prerecorded version of the language most apps teach.

Mobile applications are also impersonal compared to face-to-face online courses or language schools. A mobile app can only “communicate” with you, not honestly talk, discuss, examine, and test.

Despite some of these known shortcomings, apps can still help you explore the enchanting world of Mandarin.

It can complement conventional approaches, such as physical classrooms, to improve the learning experience.

For the best outcomes, I found that a variety of lessons from a teacher and audio and language apps were the most effective. The rest is optional and may assist learners to varying degrees.

If you know which app to use, it’s still worth investigating this alternative. These qualities will help you learn Mandarin efficiently.

Top 42 Apps to help you learn the Chinese language

Chinese is a well-known and widespread language. That is why it has vast resources and offers many good choices. As a result, it is easy to find Chinese learning apps and study material to help you learn Mandarin. 

Given the oversupply of Chinese language smartphone apps, finding the right one to help you best can be a slippery slope and a daunting task.

However, with this list of the best apps for learning Chinese, you can rest assured you will find the one that works best for you.

Many specialized apps also assist you at different points in your Chinese language journey. This list is comprised of both free, freemium, and paid-only items. So, let’s explore this in detail!

Best Chinese language apps

1. Mondly — App for Language Learners

Mondly can teach you, in a fun way, to read and write Chinese.

It offers a user-friendly and engaging experience for both beginners and continuing learners. Its lessons are designed to help users build vocabulary and confidence quickly through real-life examples and interactive exercises.

The app introduces Chinese characters, pronunciation, and tones in a clear, manageable way, making an often intimidating language feel accessible. Speech recognition technology helps improve tone pronunciation, which is essential for mastering Mandarin.

It uses gamification to deliver hundreds of micro-lessons, covering everything from greetings and everyday phrases to complex sentences and conversations.

The character-based Mandarin language requires lots of engagement and interest. Yet the interactive app enables learners to practice without it feeling boring.

Chinese language apps for ios

Price: Mondly has a free plan with restricted lessons. It costs $9.99 per month or $47.99 per year for one language. From time to time, they also offer lifetime memberships in all 41 languages for $50-$100.

2. Hello Chinese — All-in-one Chinese learning app

Hello Chinese, a game-based learning tool, is ideal for beginners and intermediate Chinese students.

Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are all covered. This is because it is a fantastic all-around program for learning a lot of Chinese.

The program supports traditional and simplified Chinese characters. The courses also include standard Mandarin audio recorded by native speakers.

There is also built-in speech recognition to aid with difficult Chinese pronunciation and tones, and a handwriting interface to practice writing Chinese characters.

Price: Hello Chinese is one of the best free apps for learning Chinese. They have two paid plans. The premium costs $8.99/month, $ 19.99 for 3 months, or $59.99/year. Premium+ is $19.99/month, $89.99/6 months, or $149.99/year.

3. Anki — Flashcards for studying Chinese

Anki is a multi-platform, open-source, and free flashcard software with many features (though the iOS version is paid). This means you can learn Chinese on any device that has Anki installed.

Anki employs the Spaced Repetition System (SRS). It determines how well you know a word. It then repeats the process at reasonable times to help you remember it forever.

Price: Ankit Flashcards is 100% free and open source, but the iOS version costs money. With over 100,000 card decks, you can download them totally free.

4. Pleco — A Chinese dictionary app

Pleco includes a wealth of other features that make it essential for learners. It is a solid dictionary with native audio pronunciations.

You can use the dictionary offline and search for characters in various ways, such as by writing, drawing, or taking a photo. You may also use Chinese characters, pinyin, or both to find words.

Price: Two bundles include many dictionaries and tools. The Basic costs $29.90, whereas the Professional costs $ US$59.99. Plus, Pleco also has dozens of additional bundle packages and individual add-ons.

5. Pimsleur — To improve speaking and listening

The Pimsleur course is a breath of fresh air in terms of user-friendliness and aesthetics. In addition, their audio lessons are a proven way to learn any language on the platform.

The audio and other tools benefit from the speaking and listening practice they provide and from their attractive appearance.

The Mandarin course’s 30-minute audio sessions are designed to help you start thinking and speaking in Chinese soon. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practice repeating speech and responding to questions vocally.

Chinese learning apps paid

Price: Pimsleur offers two plans—audio-only and premium, which includes audio and additional tools. You can buy one level (30 lessons) of Chinese for $119.90 and all five parts (150 tracks) for $550.00. The monthly fee is $14.95. The pricing is a bit complex, but it is worth the cost!

You can check my full review of Pimsleur.

As a language learner, there is no way you don’t recognize this app. Duolingo is a game-based learning platform that keeps users hooked on learning Mandarin Chinese.

It uses appealing animations and images, engaging exercises, an exciting reward system, motivating methods, and fun challenges.

The software does an excellent job of identifying terms you’re having trouble with along the way and emphasizing them.

Price: Duolingo’s basic plan is 100% free. The Plus plan includes features such as offline access, full access to lessons, unlimited mistakes, and progress tracking. The cost is $6.99/month, but it is not worth it.

You can check my full review of Duolingo.

7. Skritter — App to help you write Chinese

The software uses a handwriting recognition algorithm to enable students to write the characters they’re learning.

Skritter will ask you to trace each Chinese character stroke by stroke. It then prompts you to recreate the character from memory on a blank canvas.

They teach the tone and pinyin for each character you encounter in the program, along with the proper stroke sequence. And how to apply it in a phrase.

Price: The cost is $14.99 for 1 month, $59.99 for 6 months, and $99.99 for 1 year. They have a 7-day trial to see if it suits your liking.

8. Zizzle — learn Mandarin via visualized stories

Zizzle is a Chinese character-learning software that uses short tales and images to teach characters.

They teach each Chinese character through a helpful tale that often includes the character’s pronunciation, related audio, stroke order, and significance.

After seeing its English translation and pinyin, you’ll learn how to employ each character in a phrase. They will also illustrate its decomposition for more sophisticated characters.

Price: $9.99/month, $24.99/3 months, or $59.99/year. They also have three packs: Crack the HSK, Master Every Day Chinese, and Chinese Textbook Companion.

9. FluentU — Immersion through Videos

FluentU is a language-learning software that creates an immersive learning experience by combining real-world videos with interactive subtitles.

The videos use commercials, music videos, interviews, and other formats. Quizzes accompanying the films allow visitors to practice the language in the videos.

FluentU is a video app for iOS, Android, and the web that delivers videos in nine languages. Most of its content is beyond the beginning level. Also, it provides videos for learners of all levels.

Price: You can choose between $239.99/year or $29.99/month. Before committing to the paid plan, you can take a 14-day free trial.

Apps to learn Mandarin

10. Chinese Skill — Fun Chinese Mandarin lessons

Through games and interactive activities, the Chinese Skill app makes learning enjoyable. In addition, because the program benefits total novices, it’s a terrific alternative for taking you from beginner to intermediate-level proficiency.

The app encourages you to learn Chinese Mandarin through various interactive games and structured lessons.

Expert instructors have created a well-rounded curriculum for Chinese Skills. It covers over 400 grammatical points, 300 sentence patterns, 1000 keywords, and 1500 key characters.

Price: The monthly subscription is $14.99, and the 1-year subscription is $79.99. You can also buy for a one-time fee of $159.99 for lifetime validity.

11. The Chairman’s Bao for Reading Chinese News

The Chairman’s Bao app uses real-world news stories to create an immersive background for Chinese learners of all levels. It is a fantastic app for reading Chinese text.

It’s not difficult to see why over 125,000 users install this app and why over 350 universities and organizations worldwide use it.

Over 7000 graded-reader lessons written as news items available on the internet are featured in the program. Besides the web version, you can access it on Android and iOS.

The lessons are suitable for students at novice to advanced levels. Their Chinese reading materials are helpful if you are preparing for the HSK.

Price: Subscriptions range from $10 per month to $140 per year. A free trial is also available.

12. LingoDeer — an e-learning app to learn Chinese

LingoDeer is another multilingual learning software that features well-developed Mandarin Chinese lessons. You’ll test your language skills by completing a variety of challenges.

There are also several grammatical explanations and opportunities to review your learning.

The Chinese 1 course covers beginner-level material (HSK 1-2), whereas the Chinese 2 course covers intermediate-level material (HSK 3-4).

LingoDeer+ is an extension of LingoDeer. It uses interactive games to support your study of grammar rules and unfamiliar words. The detailed answers add more value to this app.

Price: While the free plan is generous, the premium plan costs $14.99 per month, $39.99 for 3 months, or $79.99 annually. You can buy a lifetime membership for $159.99.

13. Memrise — A versatile flashcard app

Memrise is another popular language-learning software that provides a variety of language lessons. This includes simplified Mandarin Chinese courses.

They work with native Mandarin speakers who have concise, clear pronunciation. Thus, their content is appropriate for beginner and intermediate learners.

You’ll be confronted with review tests that measure your grip throughout the course. If you’re feeling very daring, their speed review is a race against the clock that encourages you to recollect what you’ve studied as rapidly as possible.

Mandarin learning apps free

Price: The free plan is pretty generous, and most do not require the Pro version. For extra features, you can subscribe for 1 month at $8.49, 1 year at $29.99, or a lifetime at $119.99. They nearly always offer discounts.

You can check my full review of Memrise.

14. ChinesePod — Learn via Audio and Videos

ChinesePod is a platform that teaches Mandarin Chinese and offers over 4,000 video and audio courses.

In reality, it promotes authentic Chinese content designed to immerse learners and uses an unstructured method. It allows students to choose which courses they wish to complete.

There is no set order for completing the courses; simply select your Chinese level and browse the classes offered.

Price: There are two plans — Basic Learners for $14/month and Premium for $29/month. They also have unique plans and pricing for the team and education-based clients. Of course, you can take a free trial to assess.

15. Speechling — App to learn to speak Chinese

Speechling is a multilingual learning platform that works with natural-language speakers to help users improve their grammar, intonation, word choice, and articulation. It also delivers traditional and simplified Chinese materials.

The app’s primary goal is to improve natural conversation fluency to a native level.

You can listen to a native speaker articulate a word or phrase before recording yourself repeating it.

Price: It has a forever-free plan to access the curriculum and other features. For 1-on-1 tuition, audio journals, switching between languages, and offline bonus resources, buy Speechling Unlimited for $19.99/month.

16. Ninchanese — A gamified way

Ninchanese is a comprehensive Chinese language study program with over 1500 Mandarin courses. Its learning approach is stress-free and enjoyable because most sessions are gamified or feature game-like components.

You’ll increase your Mandarin reading, vocabulary, grammar, listening, speaking, and writing abilities through a series of exercises and games designed into structured courses.

The best part is that Ninchanese has an organized, easy-to-follow curriculum that lets students study up to HSK 6.

Price: You can start with a free plan. For paid, it is $ 10/month (Chinese Awakens), $54/half-yearly (The Power of Chinese), and $ 96.10/year (The Dragon Unleashed).

17. HSK Online — Chinese Proficiency Test App

HSK Online is the most popular program for practicing the Chinese proficiency test.

It provides a wealth of practice changes as mock and genuine exam papers, encouraging you to systematically enhance your listening, reading, writing, and vocabulary.

The app uses artificial intelligence (AI) and other algorithms to analyze your progress. It makes daily errors and tailors your study sessions to help you develop in your weak areas.

They provide full explanations of mistakes through feedback. It covers all levels, from HSK 1 to HSK 6.

Price: For 1 month, it is ¥118, whereas for 1 year, it is ¥488. You can also buy a lifetime VIP plan for¥698.

Mandarin learning apps

18. Du Chinese — App for reading Chinese

Du Chinese is a Mandarin-learning software that focuses on reading Chinese. It provides information for beginners, intermediates, and experts.

The user interface is straightforward. You can jump directly into reading information at your current level of competence.

The software helps you improve your character identification, sentence structure, syntax, and vocabulary while giving you a taste of Chinese culture and lifestyle.

With easy word lookup, complete translation, unlimited lessons, and professional audio, Du Chinese is one of the best apps for learning and reading Chinese.

Price: The basic plan is free. If you want access to all the lessons, choose 1 month ($14.99), 6 months ($79.99), or 1 year ($119.99).

19. Language Drops — Visual language learning

Language Drops has a basic UI and promises to teach over 2000 Chinese characters. It also creates visual connections with these characters to help you remember them better.

There is a well-balanced selection of fascinating and valuable courses and activities you can try.

The Language Drops app lets you select the words you want to focus on and personalize your learning experience.

Price: The monthly cost is US$13.00, and the yearly fee is US$69.99. They offer lifetime service for a one-time purchase of US$159.99. You can also start with a 7-day free trial before hitting the paywall.

20. HiNative — Q&A language community

HiNative is a question-and-answer (Q&A) software that pairs language students with native speakers. This Chinese app will answer your inquiries about languages, nations, and cultures.

Learning the language from local speakers can provide tremendous insight into natural conversational practices and fluency, though it may lack the structure of organized, book-based courses.

Price: The basic features are free for users. For premium, select $5.68/month or $59.63 for one year ($4.96/month).

21. Busuu — A multipurpose language app

Busuu is a user-friendly and popular app for learning Chinese. The Mandarin lessons are organized and efficient.

It offers numerous features, including a well-customized study plan, conversations, an AI-based grammar review, a social community, and a range of activities and lessons to enhance your Chinese learning.

Chinese language apps for android

You can determine when you like to study Chinese and for how long. The app will keep you on track with every activity. You can also improve your Mandarin skills through feedback from natives in the Busuu community.

If you’re an absolute beginner, a free plan is a good option. It gives you enough room to learn and understand basic things.

However, you must subscribe to either premium or premium plus to advance your Mandarin study.

Price: There is a free version, but features and study content are limited. For paid, you have premium and premium plus for 1, 12, and 24 months, and the cost is from $5 to $7 per month, as per plan and duration.

You can check my full review of Busuu.

22. Beelinguapp — Mandarin through audio

Beelinguapp lets you read and listen to music and audiobooks in two languages while the text is displayed on-screen. It also translates the text you’re reading into the Chinese language.

With Beelinguapp, you do not need to memorize vocabulary. Instead, look through novels, short stories, famous children’s books, and other works in your mother tongue and Chinese.

This reading app is helpful for easy cross-referencing and for ensuring you comprehend the text and its context. It is one of the best Mandarin apps for enhancing Chinese reading.

Price: The free version allows you to learn almost everything by listening, reading, and practicing words with flashcards and glossaries. The premium offer costs $5-$7 per month and is inexpensive on an annual and lifetime basis.

23. HelloTalk — A language exchange platform

Unlike other platforms that cover various aspects of language learning, HelloTalk, a China-based app, is a prominent language exchange platform.

With over 30 million members and support for over 150 languages, it is the most popular app for talking to and meeting learners worldwide. 

You learn to speak Mandarin by speaking with native speakers. Then the members will advise you, correct your mistakes, and improve your pronunciation.

You can access many tools, including target-learner search, translation, transliteration, correction, text-to-voice, and more. All these help you learn more effectively.

HelloTalk is worth it in many ways, but it does not teach you a language. You’re also at the mercy of others. So, while the paid VIP plan costs money, I won’t recommend it. Free is just okay for most learners!

Price: The free version is sufficient for most learners and has core parts. But if you are looking for more features, you can consider VIP. It costs $6.99 per month, $45.99 for a year, and $175.00 for a lifetime. Prices vary by location, and you also receive frequent discounts.

You can check my full review of HelloTalk.

24. ChineseClass101 — Audio & Video Lessons

ChineseClass101 is a collection of Mandarin lessons available as audio, podcasts, and videos. To make it simple, fun, and easy to use, you can search by subject and difficulty.

Plenty of small lessons, such as slideshows, word lists, and flashcards for fast learning. Also, with the Premium Plus plan, you can get tailor-made guidance from an experienced Chinese teacher.

If you have a reason to learn Mandarin for jobs, travel, or to gain cultural insight or grammar, you can find the exact topics to help you. The lessons last 10 to 15 minutes and adhere to standard Mandarin dialogue.

Innovative Language 101 is the parent company of the ChineseClass101 website and offers extra lessons. It is a high-quality app that helps you improve your Mandarin listening skills.

Price: They have many free options. However, to unlock every content and feature, they charge $25 for Premium, $8 for Basic, and $47 for Premium Plus. All these payments are for one month each.

25. Rosetta Stone — All-in-1 Chinese learning app

Rosetta Stone is a well-known name in language-learning apps. Using an old-school conversational approach, the platform helps you practice speaking your target language.

They provide a wide range of vocabulary, grammar, and language features through customized, bite-sized lessons. It motivates you to engage yourself in real-life scenarios.

Further, you can use Rosetta Stone for the Chinese language to practice characters, listen, and improve pronunciation through instant feedback. 

Price: Rosetta Stone is a paid subscription-based plan. The Mandarin Chinese price for 3 months is $35.97, and for 6 months, it is $95.88. Lifetime is a monetary value of $179 across all languages.

Mandarin Chinese language apps

26. Hack Chinese — For increasing Vocabulary

Hack Chinese is a magnificent online Chinese language learning platform that helps users expand their Chinese vocabulary. While they do not have an app, the web version is perfect and complete.

You can gain thousands of Chinese words over time with 15-20 minutes of regular practice through an SRS (spaced repetition system).

One terrific benefit is that it helps you prepare for various Chinese language tests, such as HSK, BCT, YCT, TOCFL, and more. They also offer graded reading, topic-wise word lists, frequency lists, and many integrations.

Price: You can start using it for 20 days, which is totally free. After that, it costs USD 96 for 1 year ($8/ 8/month) and USD 12 for 1 month.

27. Chineasy App — Learn Chinese Characters

Founded by Taiwanese entrepreneur ShaoLan Hsueh, Chineasy is a beautiful Chinese learning platform.

It is a visually appealing app that helps you learn Chinese characters through colorful pictures. It includes features such as memory games, flashcards, and postcards to make Chinese more straightforward to understand.

It also runs podcasts that cover cultural aspects and lively conversations. Chineasy’s unique approach makes it an exciting app for Chinese learners.

Price: To unlock the full features, you must pay $6.99 per month, $39.99 per year, or $139.99 one-time for lifetime access.

28. iQiyi — Learning Chinese through Movies

Do you want to learn Chinese through movies? Are you possibly interested in Chinese dramas to improve your Mandarin?

iQiyi is the answer. It is a Chinese version of Netflix.

Founded in 2010, iQIYI is the world’s largest online video site. With ten thousand hours of Chinese films and TV series, you will never be out of entertainment, which also helps you learn Chinese.

This Mandarin-learning app can significantly enhance your language learning if you love Chinese cinema and shows. The subtitles, speed tools, and other video features are helpful for Mandarin learners.

Price: Free is sufficient for most learners. But if you want to dive deep into Chinese entertainment, you can consider a VIP plan. It offers two options: standard and premium, priced from $7 to $10 per month.

30. LinGo Play — Learn by flashcards and Games

LinGo Play is dedicated to language learning via games. The courses and lessons cover beginner to advanced and help you learn vocabulary and grammar with interactive flashcards.

The lessons introduce thousands of new Chinese words and phrases using effective techniques. As an outcome, you can make hundreds of sentences in various situations.

You can always review your progress and know where you stand on the leaderboards. This nifty app is for competitive students and helps you study Mandarin grammar and new words.

Price: LinGo Play offers a 7-day free trial, a 1-month paid trial, and monthly, half-yearly, and annual subscriptions.

31. M Mandarin — Learn through Comics

Do you like comics and learning Mandarin at the same time?

If so, check the M Mandarin. This practical and professional app teaches you Chinese through an unlimited library of comics, each with varying topics and difficulty levels.

The entire format is based on reading and listening. And if that is your goal, try M Mandarin. The serial manga can also assist you with the HSK examinations as a unique product.

Price: You can get a VIP plan and access to everything. The cost is $5.99 monthly, $12.99 yearly, and $64.99 yearly. The features also vary by subscription.

32. QQ Music — Learning Chinese through Music

Do you love music and learning Chinese? Then, why not combine both through QQ Music?

QQ Music is like Spotify. You can listen to millions of songs and podcasts, and use various tools like lyrics to learn Mandarin.

With over 100 million subscribers, this is possibly the best app for learning Chinese through music.

Price: Like other premium music apps, it has a VIP plan. It has ad-free, high-quality, and offline listening. But as a learner, the free plan is just fine. Do remember that music mainly helps advanced learners.

33. Scripts for Studying Chinese Characters

Learning a new writing system like Chinese Hanzi should not be complicated and tedious.

But there are paths to make it enjoyable and straightforward. The Script, a sister organization of Drop’s, is a remarkable app.

With quick games and simple and beautiful illustrations, you can discover Chinese characters on a fast track. Just spend a few minutes whenever you are free. An easy and effective way to learn non-Latin scripts that work!

Price: Some parts are free, and later, it offers In-App purchases. There are two options: $9.99 for one month and $69.99 for one year.

Chinese language apps

34. uTalk — Learn Chinese through Visuals

uTalk is another app for learning Chinese. With thousands of words and phrases across several day-to-day topics, you can use them to learn Chinese or for everyday use.

You can also practice speaking and check your pronunciation compared to native speakers. The uTalk app also has many intuitive games to make your learning experience more enjoyable.

Price: The cost is pretty reasonable. But the quality is okay, though it leaves much to be desired. The price is $5 for 1 month, $18 for 6 months, and $25 for 1 year. Also, the charges vary by country when you sign up!

35. XiMaLaYa — Chinese Podcasts

If you want to listen to endless Podcasts to learn Mandarin, look no further than XiMaLaYa. This is the No. 1 platform for listening to podcasts, stories, novels, books, and lectures in China.

With over ten thousand audio files across genres, categories, and purposes, you can access the vast collection to improve your listening skills.

This app isn’t meant for beginners because it’s is Chinese. Yet you can use the desktop version to translate into your native language, thereby maximizing its advantages.

Price: Although XiMaLaYa offers paid VIP packages, the free plan is acceptable for most Chinese learners. The free audio files are enough to practice and enrich your language skills.

36. Standard Mandarin for pronunciation and pinyin

To improve your accent, tones, and sound, attempt Standard Mandarin.

This app lets you speak naturally without your native accent. Instead, you can choose any sound referred to by pinyin or hear any of the four tones.

The visual description and animation provide a detailed account of the diverse sounds of Mandarin. For instance, it contains facial muscles and slow-motion movements when you speak. Unfortunately, this app isn’t available on Android; it is only available on desktop and iPad/iPhone apps.

Price: The Apple mobile versions are 100% free. However, the desktop edition costs $39.90 if you want to use it on a MAC.

37. Chinese grammar

Do you want to study and practice Chinese grammar?

If that is the case, install the Chinese Grammar app. Then, with over 100 grammar exercises, you can practice these assignments to measure your grammar ability.

The app is only available on Android; there is no iOS version. All study content is simplified Mandarin and not traditional. Besides, it is not for advanced levels and can only reach HSK 5.

Price: The Chinese grammar app is 100% free. You do not even need to sign up—zero ads.

38. Learn Chinese AI — Super Chinese

Do you want to improve your Mandarin accent and pronunciation?

Check out Super Chinese, which offers courses with well-designed animations and images. With speech recognition, this app can help you reach Mandarin fluency.

This program teaches Chinese characters, pinyin, and English translations, and how to incorporate these characters into everyday phrases.

You can take a placement test to determine your specific skill, and a level will be assigned based on your current ability. AI (artificial intelligence) also sweetens your learning style.

Chinese language software

Price: They offer plans including Standard, VIP, and VIP Pro. For instance, you can buy a one-month subscription for €8.49 or $59.99 for one year.

39. Daily Chinese — Learn Words

You can reach advanced levels of Chinese proficiency with Daily Chinese. The primary aim of this app is to help you grow your vocabulary. It has an enormous database of characters to help you learn Mandarin.

If you have been studying for HSK, you need thousands of characters and words to pass various levels. Daily Chinese, with an extensive database of almost 10,000 simplified and traditional Chinese words, can help you.

The vocabulary varies across topics, difficulty levels, sector-specific terms, and goal-related terms. You can also track your progress and learn more about China. To improve your word power, check out Daily Chinese.

Price: The Daily Chinese app is entirely free.

40. ChineseSkill — Learn Mandarin Chinese

With ChineseSkill, you can learn up to HSK 4 by combining games, videos, and audio posted by native speakers.

Expert educators developed the curriculum to provide a well-rounded learning experience. In addition to 100 grammar rules and sentence formation patterns, you will learn thousands of helpful and relevant words and characters.

It offers games, native-speaker video and audio recordings, character writing practice, speech recognition exercises, and more to help you absorb all this information.

They present characters in simplified and traditional forms so you can customize your understanding. You can also turn pinyin on or off as you prefer.

Price: Freemium. A few initial programs are free to try. Later, you pay to access more lessons and features. Many In-App purchases range from $12.99 per month to $299.99 for life.

41. Preply – Mandarin Tutoring App

Preply is an excellent app for anyone looking to learn Mandarin Chinese! It’s designed to make the learning journey fun and personalized, so whether you’re just starting or looking to boost your confidence in the language, you’ll feel right at home.

Since launching in 2012, Preply has helped connect students with over 5,400 fantastic Chinese tutors, each bringing their unique style and experience.

What’s excellent about Preply is its focus on one-on-one lessons that align perfectly with your personal goals, pace, and interests. After you sign up, the app will suggest tutors that fit your schedule and budget, and even consider specific regional dialects!

You can tailor your lessons to get ready for the HSK exams, learn business vocabulary, or just pick up some handy travel phrases. The tutors use engaging tools, such as interactive whiteboards, conversation practice, and cultural insights, to help you grasp real-life Chinese in no time.

Preply has handy tools for reviewing vocabulary, tracking your progress, and practicing exercises. If you’re looking to learn quickly, speak naturally, and really enjoy your study time, Preply makes the total experience flexible and efficient!

You can check — Is Preply good for language learning?

Pricing varies based on the tutor’s experience, starting at around $5 to $10 per hour for beginners. If you’re looking for something more specialized, experienced, or certified tutors typically range from $20 to $40 per hour.

42. LingQ – A Language Learning App

Reading and speaking are the two most necessary and practical ways to improve your Chinese skills. And LingQ shines on both!

The app uses SRS to teach dozens of languages, including Mandarin. You can learn Chinese by engaging yourself in easy-to-understand content! Authentic Chinese speakers teach all terms to help you speak and listen.

You can pick what to study. Besides the massive library, you can import anything into interactive lessons—for example, a novel, YouTube videos, songs, emails, and books. The choice is infinite.

Price: The LingQ free plan includes basic lessons and features to get you started. For paid services, you have Premium and Premium Plus. The cost ranges from $7.99 to $39.99 per month, depending on the selected plan and duration.

42. iTalki – Online Language Teachers

iTalki is an online language teaching platform. It allows you to learn one of the 100 languages, including Mandarin, from a professional online tutor.

You can choose from over 100 Chinese teachers for 1-on-1 tutoring based on your goals and interests. If unsure, you can read their profile and reviews to help with shortlisting.

Like Preply, iTalki is an ideal platform for learning Chinese with a live teacher from anywhere. You can also choose any time of the day or night. It entirely depends on you.

Price: Unlike other Chinese apps, iTalki does not have a fixed price, as it depends on the instructor. It allows trainers to set hourly fees based on their profile, experience, and lessons. Usually, it ranges from $8 to $30 per hour, depending on several factors.

Final Words: Best apps for learning Mandarin

Apps for learning Mandarin

Language learning is a vital experience that everyone should undertake at least once. It is intriguing and gives you a new perspective on your ideas and attitude by giving you a glimpse into another world.

For the Chinese, it is even more worthwhile. Although it is a challenging language, the benefits far outweigh the effort required.

To solve this, you can use many apps to make your life easier while studying Chinese. I’ve checked and researched over 100 of them and only formed the standout apps on this list.

These smartphone or tablet apps can encourage you to study anytime, anywhere. Most cover overall Chinese skills. However, some specialized ones can help you improve specific parts of the language.

Hopefully, this list of the best apps to learn Chinese can help. The ones listed above are some of the most popular and seem effective and valuable.

If you have any suggestions for good Mandarin learning apps that were missed or have any questions, write them in the comments below.

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Vikash Gupta
Vikash Gupta

I’m a linguist, lifelong learner, blogger, and fun-loving guy. I write at studyfrenchspanish.com, languagenext.com, joyofjapanese.com, joyofchinese.com, joyofkorean.com, joyoffrench.com, and joyofspanish.com.

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