# Speak Chinese vs Bamlu

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Speak Chinese at 285 against Bamlu's 2. Speak Chinese also leads on iOS requirement (16.1 vs 18.0). Bamlu's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 days) and review sentiment (100% vs 78%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Speak Chinese sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Bamlu sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Speak Chinese against 4.5 for Bamlu. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Speak Chinese has 285 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 78% of Speak Chinese's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bamlu's.

Speak Chinese ships an update every 10 days, Bamlu every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Speak Chinese | Bamlu |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (285 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-chinese-learn-mandarin/id6468914724/reviews) | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bamlu/id6815228696/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **285** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 77.5% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 91 MB | 196 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Quan Pham Minh](https://appshunter.io/developer/1708270826) | [ALBERT STEEN FELDT](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864344212) |

## What reviewers say

### Speak Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speak-chinese-learn-mandarin/id6468914724)

Master Mandarin Chinese with an AI-powered tutor and comprehensive learning tools. Improve speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills with interactive lessons, audiobooks, and HSK exam preparation. Learn vocabulary and characters efficiently for all skill levels.

**Highlights:** AI speaking tutor with pronunciation feedback, 1,000+ bilingual audiobooks, HSK exam preparation and mock tests, Spaced repetition vocabulary learning, Character learning with visual mnemonics, Offline study mode

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PlusAI+ 1 Month | $14.99 | per month |
| Plus+ 3 Months | $24.99 | per 3 months |
| PlusAI+ 3 Months | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Plus+ 6 Months | $45.99 | per 6 months |
| PlusAI+ 6 Months | $49.99 | per 6 months |
| PlusAI+ 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |
| PlusAI+ 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |
| Plus+ 1 Year | $59.99 | per year |
| PlusAI+ 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |
| PlusAI+ 1 Year | $69.99 | per year |


### Bamlu

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bamlu/id6815228696)

Learn Mandarin through short, engaging video clips. Tap any word to instantly see its pronunciation and meaning, then save it for later review. Track your progress and build a daily learning habit with personalized practice.

**Highlights:** Short Mandarin video clips, Tap-to-learn vocabulary, Saved word review, HSK-oriented placement, Daily habit tracking, Cross-device sync

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| BAMLU Pro Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| BAMLU Pro Annual | $29.99 | per year |
| BAMLU Pro Annual | $44.99 | per year |
| BAMLU Pro Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| BAMLU Pro Annual | $59.99 | per year |
| 30 minutes with your teacher | $4.99 | one-time |
| 60 minutes with your teacher | $9.99 | one-time |
| 120 minutes with your teacher | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Speak Chinese free?

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

### Is Bamlu free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Speak Chinese or Bamlu?

Speak Chinese and Bamlu are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 285 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Speak Chinese or Bamlu have ads?

Both Speak Chinese and Bamlu show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Speak Chinese or Bamlu?

Speak Chinese ships an update every 10 days, and Bamlu every 2 days. Most recently, Speak Chinese was updated on October 27, 2026 and Bamlu on October 26, 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.*