# Learn Chinese Essentials vs ABC Chinese

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ABC Chinese at 100% against Learn Chinese Essentials's 44%. ABC Chinese also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Learn Chinese Essentials's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ABC Chinese sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Learn Chinese Essentials asks for nothing beyond the download.

ABC Chinese holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of Learn Chinese Essentials's written reviews are positive against 100% of ABC Chinese's.

Learn Chinese Essentials ships an update every 5 months, ABC Chinese monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Chinese Essentials | ABC Chinese |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-essentials/id309485455/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-chinese-learn-chinese/id6499345314/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 43.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 109 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Renkara Media Group, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/284945276) | [北京觅友科技有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317337287) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Chinese Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-essentials/id309485455)

Master new Chinese words quickly and permanently with this language learning app. It offers native speaker audio for pronunciation, spaced repetition for memorization, and various study modes, including hands-free options. Sync your progress across devices with a cloud account.

**Highlights:** Native speaker audio for pronunciation, Spaced repetition for memorization, Searchable dictionary, Flashcards and quizzes, Hands-free study mode, Cloud sync for progress

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for beginners
- 💡 Customizable lists for exams
- 🚀 Effective for learning vocab
- 👍 Intuitive and fun to use
- 👍 Excellent flashcard capability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Missing critical verbs
- 🐛 Not easy to navigate
- 🐛 Not particularly useful
- 🐛 Some mistakes in content
- 🐛 Counter-intuitive and hard to use

**Reported bugs**

- Paid version missing critical verbs
- App crashes frequently
- App does not load
- App messed up sound, required restore
- Not working with GPS since update

**Requested features**

- Add verbs to vocabulary
- Include sentence examples
- Teach how to write characters
- Add Cantonese language option
- Add pictures or video for memorization


### ABC Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/abc-chinese-learn-chinese/id6499345314)

Learn Mandarin Chinese through visual aids, mnemonic devices, and interactive AI conversations. Master characters, vocabulary, and HSK levels with engaging exercises and real-life scenario practice.

**Highlights:** Learn Chinese characters with graphics, Writing and pronunciation shorthand, AI-powered conversation practice, HSK level vocabulary and sentences, Real-life scenario dialogues, Ebbinghaus memory curve review

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month | $12.99 | per month |
| 3 month | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| 1 year | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn Chinese Essentials free?

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

### Is ABC Chinese free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn Chinese Essentials or ABC Chinese?

ABC Chinese is rated higher. Learn Chinese Essentials averages 4.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ABC Chinese averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Learn Chinese Essentials or ABC Chinese have ads?

ABC Chinese shows ads; Learn Chinese Essentials does not.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Chinese Essentials or ABC Chinese?

Learn Chinese Essentials ships an update every 5 months, and ABC Chinese monthly. Most recently, Learn Chinese Essentials was updated on October 12, 2026 and ABC Chinese on October 24, 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.*