# Learn Chinese vs Duolingo

The clearest difference is rating: Duolingo at 4.7 against Learn Chinese's 3.3. Duolingo also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (5.6M vs 8). Learn Chinese's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn Chinese sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Duolingo sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Duolingo holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duolingo has 5.6M ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of Learn Chinese's written reviews are positive against 65% of Duolingo's.

Learn Chinese ships an update every 6 months, Duolingo every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Chinese | Duolingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-flash-cards/id421829637/reviews) | **[4.7 (5.6M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **5.6M** |
| Positive reviews | 59.2% of reviews | **64.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#1** |
| Size | 89 MB | 490 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [eFlashApps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378668745) | [Duolingo, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/570060151) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-chinese-flash-cards/id421829637)

This app makes learning Mandarin vocabulary fun for young children with over 500 words, pictures, and sounds. It features interactive modes and professional voiceovers to aid memory and engagement.

**Highlights:** Over 500 words, pictures, and sounds, 10 learning categories, Video flashcards, Professional native Mandarin voiceovers, Question mode for interaction, Large text and buttons

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mandarin Baby Flash Cards Ad-Free | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for learning Mandarin
- 👍 Clear pronunciation
- 👍 Fun for kids
- 👍 Good for beginners
- 👍 Lots of categories

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Incorrect characters
- 🐛 Audio/picture mismatch
- 🐛 App freezes/locks up
- 🐛 Ads are intrusive/scammy
- 🐛 Small characters

**Reported bugs**

- App locks up on intro screen
- Categories won't open after purchase
- Some Chinese characters are wrong (e.g., number five)
- Audio doesn't match pictures (peanuts/pancakes, peanuts/pear)
- New update makes app unusable

**Requested features**

- Add Pinyin option
- Larger characters
- Option to hide English text
- Traditional Chinese characters
- More vocabulary categories


### Duolingo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/duolingo-learn-languages/id570060128)

**Currently charting:** #1 Top Free · Education, #1 Top Grossing · Education, #29 Top Grossing, #90 Top Free (US App Store)

Learn languages, math, music, and chess through fun, bite-sized lessons. Build vocabulary, grammar, and real-world skills with a science-based methodology. Track progress and stay motivated with a global community.

**Highlights:** Bite-sized language lessons, Speaking, reading, listening, writing practice, Math skills development, Music reading and playing, Chess strategy and gameplay, Progress tracking and rewards

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Super Duolingo | $9.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $12.99 | per month |
| Super Duolingo | $59.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $79.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $83.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $83.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $95.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $119.99 | per year |
| Super Duolingo | $119.99 | per year |
| Chest of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems (1200) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Gems (1200) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Cart of Gems (3000) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Barrel of Gems (3000) | $9.99 | one-time |
| Cart of Gems (6500) | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Fun and entertaining learning experience
- 🎉 Motivating streak and league features
- 🎨 Cute and engaging animations
- 📚 Effective for learning vocabulary and basics
- 🤖 Useful AI-powered features like voice lessons

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Issues with voice recognition and pronunciation feedback
- 🤑 Aggressive monetization tactics and paywall for key features
- 🤯 Frustrating heart/health system that penalizes mistakes
- 🤔 Lack of grammar explanations and focus on just memorizing phrases
- 🤷‍♀️ Inconsistent app experience across platforms

**Reported bugs**

- Freezing or crashing during lessons
- Incorrect translations or answers marked wrong
- Inconsistent behavior of certain features like leagues

**Requested features**

- Add more languages, especially less common ones
- Improve grammar lessons and explanations
- Allow more flexibility in navigating the course content
- Provide better feedback and corrections for mistakes
- Sync progress and features consistently across app and web


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn Chinese free?

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

### Is Duolingo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Learn Chinese or Duolingo?

Duolingo is rated higher. Learn Chinese averages 3.3 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Duolingo averages 4.7 from 5.6M ratings.

### Do Learn Chinese or Duolingo have ads?

Duolingo shows ads; Learn Chinese does not.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Chinese or Duolingo?

Learn Chinese ships an update every 6 months, and Duolingo every 5 days. Most recently, Learn Chinese was updated on November 1, 2026 and Duolingo on November 1, 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.*