# HelloChinese vs Chinese 101

The clearest difference is rating: HelloChinese at 4.9 against Chinese 101's 4.4. HelloChinese also leads on ratings volume (24K vs 16) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HelloChinese sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Chinese 101 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HelloChinese holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HelloChinese has 24K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 95% of HelloChinese's written reviews are positive against 100% of Chinese 101's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

HelloChinese ships an update weekly, Chinese 101 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HelloChinese | Chinese 101 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellochinese-learn-chinese/id1001507516/reviews)** | [4.4 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-101-learn-to-write/id6578424672/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | 94.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#129** | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HelloChinese Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1001507515) | [Aspul Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1670473385) |

## What reviewers say

### HelloChinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellochinese-learn-chinese/id1001507516)

**Currently charting:** #129 Top Grossing · Education (US App Store)

This app offers a fun and effective way to learn Mandarin Chinese from beginner to conversational levels. It combines game-based lessons, stories, videos, and speech recognition to help you master pronunciation, characters, and practical conversations while exploring Chinese culture.

**Highlights:** Game-based learning, Graded stories, Immersive lessons, Video lessons, Speech recognition, Character handwriting, HSK level courses

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HelloChinese Premium | $11.99 | per month |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $16.99 | per month |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $19.99 | per month |
| HelloChinese Premium | $25.99 | per 3 months |
| HelloChinese Premium | $48.99 | per year |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $62.99 | per 6 months |
| HelloChinese Premium | $69.99 | per year |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $89.99 | per 6 months |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $104.99 | per year |
| HelloChinese Premium+ | $149.99 | per year |
| 300 coins | $4.99 | one-time |
| 750 coins | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1650 coins | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to learn
- 👍 Engaging and fun
- 👍 Helpful for beginners
- 👍 Good for pronunciation practice
- 👍 Useful for learning Chinese characters

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent speech recognition
- 🐛 Audio quality issues in some videos
- 💰 Paywall limits access to full content
- 💰 Premium subscription is expensive

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional login issues
- Inconsistent performance on older devices

**Requested features**

- More advanced lessons beyond HSK3
- Option to toggle pinyin on a per-word basis
- Improved review system with more customization
- Addition of traditional Chinese characters
- More real-life conversation practice


### Chinese 101

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chinese-101-learn-to-write/id6578424672)

Master Chinese characters through interactive tracing and pronunciation exercises. Features multiple learning modes, quizzes, and a memory game to reinforce knowledge. Share your progress and learn in an ad-free environment.

**Highlights:** Interactive character tracing, Pronunciation guidance, Multiple learning modes (Easy, Normal, Freestyle), Character quizzes, Memory Flip Game, Progress sharing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Characters Pack | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HelloChinese free?

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

### Is Chinese 101 free?

Chinese 101 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HelloChinese or Chinese 101?

HelloChinese is rated higher. HelloChinese averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Chinese 101 averages 4.4 from 16 ratings.

### Do HelloChinese or Chinese 101 have ads?

Neither HelloChinese nor Chinese 101 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HelloChinese or Chinese 101?

HelloChinese ships an update weekly, and Chinese 101 monthly. Most recently, HelloChinese was updated on October 30, 2026 and Chinese 101 on October 27, 2026.

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