Comparison

Read Bean vs Bamlu

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Read Bean

Master Chinese with authentic, graded readings and interactive exercises. Tailored lessons adapt to your HSK level, offering vocabulary drills, grammar practice, and AI-powered speaking roleplays. Get instant translation and pronunciation support.

Highlights
  • Authentic graded readings
  • HSK 1-6 level adaptation
  • Interactive drills and exercises
  • AI-powered speaking roleplays
  • On-demand translation and pronunciation
  • Spaced repetition flashcards
Features
Read full description

Master Chinese Through Real-World Graded Content — Read Bean Go beyond basic apps and textbooks. Read Bean is the ultimate tool for Chinese learners from HSK 1 to 6 who want to read, listen, and think in real Chinese — at a professional, cultural, and conversational level. Whether you're preparing for business, professional exams, or personal fluency, Read Bean transforms authentic articles, stories, and conversations into dynamic, personalized graded readings with mini vocab drills made just for you. Built for all learners HSK 1 through 6 Forget "beginner content" stretched thin. Read Bean assesses your exact reading and listening levels and instantly tailors every lesson to challenge you without overwhelming you. Improve fluency across real-world topics — from culture to commerce — with lessons designed to mirror how Chinese is actually used. Practice the Skills That Matter Learn actively with sentence structure drills, fill-in-the-blank questions, smart listening challenges, and comprehension boosters. Every question type is crafted to sharpen your grammar, expand your vocabulary, and strengthen your ability to read, write, and think in Chinese — not just recognize words. New: Interactive Speaking Roleplays Go beyond passive learning with Read Bean Roleplays — dynamic, voice-driven conversations that simulate real-life scenarios in Chinese. Whether you're ordering food, negotiating at work, or chatting with a neighbor, our AI-powered roleplays help you practice speaking naturally and confidently. You’ll get feedback, cultural tips, and just the right level of challenge to improve your fluency in a fun, low-pressure way. On-Demand Translation, Pronunciation, and Grammar Support Tap any word to see its meaning, pronunciation, usage notes, and common collocations. Explore grammar patterns, sentence breakdowns, and alternative expressions with a single tap. Your growth stays fast and natural — without endless dictionary lookups. Your Personal AI Language Coach Need a deeper explanation, a cultural note, or a memory tip for a tough word? Just ask. Our built-in AI tutor gives you personalized help in real time — it’s like having a Chinese teacher in your pocket 24/7. Spaced Repetition That Works — Flashcards Reimagined Reinforce everything you learn with smart flashcards powered by proven spaced repetition methods. Read Bean automatically tracks your progress and schedules reviews, turning short-term learning into long-term mastery. Achieve Your Chinese Learning Goals With Read Bean, you'll do more than memorize — you'll think and operate in Chinese. Whether you're aiming to work abroad, connect more deeply with Chinese culture, ace professional certifications, or simply enjoy native content without subtitles, Read Bean gives you the edge. What Our Users Say "I have a 1500-day streak on Duolingo. If I had to choose between Read Bean and Duo today, I'd choose Read Bean." — Lawson K., After 30 Days "Dropped my 500+ day Duolingo streak to make Read Bean part of my New Year’s resolutions. Huge fan now." — Gary N., After 5 Days Subscription Details Full access to all lessons requires a subscription. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the period. Your Apple account will be charged within 24 hours prior to renewal. Manage your subscription anytime in your Apple Account Settings. Privacy Policy: https://readbean.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ CONTACT US: Questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@readbean.app

About

Bamlu

Features
Read full description

Learn Mandarin in short, focused sessions with BAMLU and its friendly red fox. WATCH AND LISTEN Practice with compact Mandarin clips designed around useful everyday language. Follow Hanzi, pinyin, and English meaning while you listen. TAP ANY WORD Open a word directly from a caption to see its pronunciation and meaning. Save useful vocabulary without interrupting the lesson. REVIEW WHAT YOU SAVE Return to saved words, mark what you know, and review vocabulary in context. FIND YOUR LEVEL Start with a short HSK-oriented placement experience. BAMLU uses broad learning bands to personalize practice; it is not an official HSK examination or certification. BUILD A DAILY HABIT Choose a daily goal, follow your streak, track learning time, and see your progress throughout the year. SYNC ACROSS DEVICES Sign in with Apple or email to keep your saved words, streak and settings on every device. Accounts are optional. SEARCH YOUR LIBRARY Search Mandarin or English, then filter clips by level, topic, and format. BAMLU PRO A BAMLU Pro subscription unlocks the complete learning experience. Monthly and annual plans are available. The annual plan may include a seven-day introductory trial for eligible customers. Prices and availability are shown in the app before purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://zolvastudios.com/bamlu/terms Privacy Policy: https://zolvastudios.com/bamlu/privacy

Screenshots

Read Bean4 screens
Bamlu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Read Bean at none against Bamlu's shown. Read Bean also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Bamlu's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Read Bean sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month and Bamlu sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Read Bean ships an update weekly, Bamlu every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Read Bean versus Bamlu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRead BeanBamlu
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (369 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings369 — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB191 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRefond, Inc.ALBERT STEEN FELDT

Bugs and requests

Read Bean

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login screen freezes
  • Incompatibility with older devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • Full-screen mode for iPad
  • Ability to use reading assistance on any website

Bamlu

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Read Bean

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Premium3 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • 6 Month Premium$79.996 Months
  • Annual Premium3 Days trial$99.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Annual Premium3 Days trial$119.991 Year
2 purchases

Bamlu

Subscriptions2
  • BAMLU Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • BAMLU Pro Annual7 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Read Bean free?
Read Bean is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bamlu free?
Bamlu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Read Bean or Bamlu have ads?
Bamlu shows ads; Read Bean does not.
Which is updated more often, Read Bean or Bamlu?
Read Bean ships an update weekly, and Bamlu every 2 days. Most recently, Read Bean was updated on October 13, 2026 and Bamlu on October 20, 2026.

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