Comparison

Coco vs Bamlu

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

Head to head
About

Coco

Learn Mandarin Chinese through engaging illustrated stories, native audio, and interactive tools. Build reading, vocabulary, and speaking skills in context with features like tap-to-translate and shadowing practice. Progress from beginner to advanced levels with HSK-aligned content.

Highlights
  • Illustrated graded readers
  • Tap-to-translate and pinyin support
  • Native Mandarin audio with slow mode
  • Shadowing practice for pronunciation
  • Contextual hanzi and vocabulary learning
  • SRS flashcards and quizzes
  • Offline reading and news articles
Features
Read full description

Learn Chinese with stories written by a real native teacher. 200+ illustrated stories, 73 levels, from your first words to HSK 6. Every Coco story is written by Yaxuan, a native Chinese teacher, and graded to your level. You read real Chinese from day one, with the tools to understand every word. READ WITH HELP ON EVERY PAGE - Tap any word for its meaning, pinyin, tones and example sentences - Translate the whole page in one tap - Turn pinyin and tone colors on or off as you improve - Grammar explained right inside the story LISTEN AND SPEAK - Native Beijing-accent audio for every story - Slow mode for beginners - Shadowing practice for pronunciation, tones and rhythm REMEMBER WHAT YOU READ - Save words while you read - Review them with SRS flashcards made from your own stories - Quizzes after every story: characters, pinyin, tones, listening, speaking, translation A REAL CURRICULUM - HSK 1 to HSK 6, level by level, in the right order - Real Chinese news adapted to your level - Offline reading - XP, streaks and badges to keep you going Rated 4.9 by learners. Download Coco Chinese and read your way to fluency. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

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

Coco4 screens
Bamlu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Bamlu at every 2 days against Coco's fortnightly. Coco's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. Coco sells 5 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

Coco ships an update fortnightly, Bamlu every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Coco versus Bamlu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCocoBamlu
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB191 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeremy PitaultALBERT STEEN FELDT

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Coco

Subscriptions5
  • Monthly Premium Subscription$14.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium Subscription$33.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium Subscription$45.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • Yearly Premium Subscription$47.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium Subscription$99.991 Year
2 purchases

Bamlu

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

Questions

Is Coco free?
Coco is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bamlu free?
Bamlu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Coco or Bamlu have ads?
Both Coco and Bamlu show ads.
Which is updated more often, Coco or Bamlu?
Coco ships an update fortnightly, and Bamlu every 2 days. Most recently, Coco was updated on October 21, 2026 and Bamlu on October 20, 2026.

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