Comparison

Shadow Say vs Speak Chinese

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

Head to head
About

Shadow Say

Read full description

For users to learn language by listening and repeating (shadowing the native speakers). Gradually build muscle memory to speak like a native. Audio clip has to be prepared in advanced (adding .srt files and zipped).

About

Speak Chinese

Features
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Achieve real Chinese fluency - not just textbook knowledge. NowFluency for Chinese focuses on what matters most: understanding and speaking Mandarin naturally. We combine structured native-speaker content, on-device AI speech analysis, and live human voice practice to create the most complete Chinese learning experience on iOS. * STRUCTURED CONTENT LIBRARY * Learn Mandarin from authentic material organized by type: - Videos: real native Mandarin speaker content - Dialogs: authentic two-speaker conversations - Short Talks: monologue listening practice - News: stay informed while learning Chinese - Short Stories: narrative reading and listening All content is searchable and filterable by level (A1-C2 / HSK equivalent) and topic. * AI SHADOWING COACH (OFFLINE) * On-device Whisper AI - no internet needed for speech analysis. - Sentence-by-sentence shadowing: listen, record and get your score - Pronunciation score 0-100 with accuracy, fluency and completeness breakdown - Word-level feedback showing exactly which sounds to improve - Vocabulary pronunciation drill with instant AI scoring * TALK NOW - SPEAK WITH REAL PEOPLE * NowFluency's core feature: instant anonymous voice matching with Chinese learners worldwide. Real conversations, zero pressure - the fastest way to build fluency in Mandarin. * AI CONVERSATION PARTNER * Practice speaking Chinese anytime, on any topic, at your own pace. Our AI adjusts difficulty to your level and gives real-time feedback on your responses. * VOCABULARY HUB (SPACED REPETITION) * Save Chinese words directly from lessons. Our SRS system schedules reviews at exactly the right time - so nothing is ever forgotten. Practice with 4 modes: - Flashcard self-assessment (Forgot / Hard / Good / Easy) - Multiple-choice game (15-second timer, 3 lives) - Typing challenge (smart typo-tolerant scoring) - Pronunciation drill (record, AI scores your Mandarin accent) * COMPLETE LESSON TOOLKIT * Every piece of content unlocks: - Full transcript with tap-to-translate on any word - Shadowing practice: repeat sentences, get pronunciation scores - Role Play: speak as a character in the dialog - Dictation: listen and type what you hear - Comprehension Quiz: multiple choice reading comprehension - True/False Quiz: instant understanding check - Grammar and Knowledge: explanations in context * GAMIFICATION * - Daily XP goals and streak protection - Global leaderboard rankings - Multiplayer games: Vocabulary Duel, Sentence Scramble, Shadowing Duel - Achievements and study history tracking * COMMUNITY * - Ask questions, post updates, get native Chinese speaker feedback - Comment and react on community posts - Bookmark lessons and save discussions for later * YOUTUBE IMPORT * Turn any Chinese YouTube video into a structured lesson instantly. Get the full transcript, then practice with shadowing, dictation, quizzes, and vocabulary extraction. NOWFLUENCY PREMIUM: - Completely ad-free - Unlimited AI conversation sessions - Unlimited word lookups and translations - Unlimited saves and YouTube video imports Dark and Light mode included. AI speech model runs offline for fast, private analysis. Download NowFluency and start speaking Chinese today. Terms of Use (EULA): https://lingfast-server.tnpixel.com/legal/nowfluency/terms-of-service

Screenshots

Shadow Say4 screens
Speak Chinese4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Say at none against Speak Chinese's 3. Shadow Say also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads and device support 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. Speak Chinese sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Shadow Say asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Shadow Say versus Speak Chinese: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadow SaySpeak Chinese
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNghia TranDinh Thang Tran

In-app purchases

None

Shadow Say

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Speak Chinese

Subscriptions3
  • NowFluency Premium Weekly$3.997 Days
  • NowFluency Premium Monthly$8.991 Month
  • NowFluency Premium Yearly$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Shadow Say free?
Shadow Say is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Speak Chinese free?
Speak Chinese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shadow Say or Speak Chinese have ads?
Neither Shadow Say nor Speak Chinese shows ads.

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