# HeyChina vs 4Buddy

The clearest difference is ads: 4Buddy at none against HeyChina's shown. 4Buddy also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 81%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). HeyChina's advantage is ratings volume (218 vs 6) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HeyChina sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year and 4Buddy sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

4Buddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HeyChina has 218 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of HeyChina's written reviews are positive against 100% of 4Buddy's.

HeyChina ships an update every 5 days, 4Buddy every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HeyChina | 4Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (218 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heychina-learn-chinese/id1627376962/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4buddy-learn-languages/id6786938841/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **218** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 81.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 107 MB | 98 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Linh Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1435435840) | [4ENGLISH TECHNOLOGY CO.,LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1845875764) |

## What reviewers say

### HeyChina

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heychina-learn-chinese/id1627376962)

Master Chinese with a fun, step-by-step approach. Learn vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and practice speaking through engaging exercises. Prepare for HSK exams with a comprehensive lesson route and personalized feedback.

**Highlights:** Methodical lesson route, Pronunciation practice, Develop 4 mastery skills, Personalized learning assessments, Vocabulary and grammar by topic, HSK exam preparation

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium with AI | $14.99 | per year |
| Premium with AI | $22.99 | per year |
| HeyChina premium 6 months -30% | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| HeyChina premium -50% | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium With AI | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium With AI | $44.49 | per 6 months |
| Premium With AI | $49.99 | per year |
| HeyChina Premium Lifetime -70% | $56.99 | one-time |
| HeyChina Premium Lifetime -60% | $59.99 | one-time |
| HeyChina Premium Lifetime -50% | $69.99 | one-time |


### 4Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/4buddy-learn-languages/id6786938841)

Practice speaking new languages with AI and connect with other learners. Get pronunciation feedback and track your progress with personalized learning paths and spaced repetition for vocabulary retention.

**Highlights:** AI conversation practice, Pronunciation feedback, Connect with learners, Personalized learning paths, Spaced repetition vocabulary review, Progress tracking

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $11.99 | per month |
| 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $23.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 months | $23.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 month | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $31.99 | per year |
| Subscriptions for PRO | $34.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 Year | $49.99 | per year |
| 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HeyChina free?

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

### Is 4Buddy free?

4Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HeyChina or 4Buddy?

4Buddy is rated higher. HeyChina averages 4.8 out of 5 from 218 ratings, while 4Buddy averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do HeyChina or 4Buddy have ads?

HeyChina shows ads; 4Buddy does not.

### Which is updated more often, HeyChina or 4Buddy?

HeyChina ships an update every 5 days, and 4Buddy every 3 days. Most recently, HeyChina was updated on November 7, 2026 and 4Buddy on November 10, 2026.

---

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