# HelloChinese vs Learn Bicol

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Learn Bicol at none against HelloChinese's 13. HelloChinese's advantage is ratings volume (24K vs 2) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HelloChinese sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Learn Bicol asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for HelloChinese against 5.0 for Learn Bicol. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HelloChinese has 24K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

HelloChinese ships an update weekly, Learn Bicol every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HelloChinese | Learn Bicol |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (24K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellochinese-learn-chinese/id1001507516/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-bicol-bikol-dictionary/id6737761660/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **24K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 94.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#87** | — |
| Size | 98 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HelloChinese Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1001507515) | [Jeff Bercasio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1201611111) |

## What reviewers say

### HelloChinese

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

**Currently charting:** #87 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


### Learn Bicol

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-bicol-bikol-dictionary/id6737761660)

Master the Bicol language with interactive lessons, quizzes, and daily learning tools. Explore cultural insights and practical phrases to connect with heritage and traditions. Ideal for beginners, heritage learners, and travelers.

**Highlights:** Interactive lessons, Multiple choice quizzes, Word of the Day, Flashcards, Progress tracking, Cultural insights, Real-world conversation examples

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HelloChinese free?

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

### Is Learn Bicol free?

Learn Bicol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, HelloChinese or Learn Bicol?

Learn Bicol is rated higher. HelloChinese averages 4.9 out of 5 from 24K ratings, while Learn Bicol averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do HelloChinese or Learn Bicol have ads?

Neither HelloChinese nor Learn Bicol shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HelloChinese or Learn Bicol?

HelloChinese ships an update weekly, and Learn Bicol every 3 weeks. Most recently, HelloChinese was updated on October 26, 2026 and Learn Bicol on October 10, 2026.

---

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