Comparison

Bamlu vs Bao

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

Head to head
About

Bamlu

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
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

About

Bao

Learn Mandarin by scrolling through fun video clips, similar to social media feeds. Absorb real conversations and slang naturally. Practice speaking with an AI teacher and save new vocabulary for review.

Highlights
  • Learn through scrolling video clips
  • Instant tap-to-translate
  • AI speaking practice with feedback
  • Save and review vocabulary with flashcards
  • Natural language absorption
Features
Read full description

LEARN CHINESE THE FASTEST WAY — JUST BY SCROLLING FUN CLIPS Stop speaking "Duolingo Chinese" and start absorbing real Mandarin with Bao — just by scrolling short clips. Think TikTok, but every scroll makes you more fluent. Whether you're a student, traveller, drama fan, or busy professional, Bao makes learning Chinese effortless and engaging. Scroll, listen, and watch your Chinese transform — no textbooks, no scripted drills, no gamified busywork. WHY BAO? ▶ Learn Naturally — Absorb real conversations, pronunciation and slang from native speakers. ▶ The Fastest Way to Learn — Use the power of immersion to pick up the language effortlessly. ▶ Tap to Translate — Instantly translate any word in the captions while watching. ▶ Grow Your Vocabulary — Save words instantly and review them with flashcards built from the real content you watched. ▶ Talk with Bao — Practice speaking out loud with your AI Chinese teacher, who listens and actually replies. ▶ Bite-Sized & Flexible — Learn anytime, anywhere, with quick clips that fit into any schedule. WHO IS BAO FOR? ▶ Students — Master Chinese naturally while scrolling engaging content. ▶ Travellers — Pick up real-world Chinese to connect with locals on your next trip. ▶ Drama & Show Fans — Finally understand Chinese dramas, films and songs without subtitles. ▶ Busy Adults — Learn Chinese in minutes a day, no textbooks or character drills required. FEATURES THAT MAKE BAO UNIQUE ▶ The Fastest Way to Learn — No scripted drills, just real Chinese clips that keep you engaged. ▶ Instant Translations — Tap any word in the transcript to get its meaning instantly. ▶ Talk with Bao — Real speaking practice with an AI teacher that listens to you and gives real feedback, not just a green checkmark. ▶ Effortless Immersion — Just scroll, watch, and absorb — learning Chinese has never been this easy. ▶ Smart Review — Words you save come back right before you'd forget them, so they actually stick. *SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION* All features described above require a subscription. Yearly and monthly plans are available, and the yearly plan includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store account settings. *TERMS OF SERVICE* https://pcclblxaetlamjhglxpm.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/legal/terms.txt https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Bamlu4 screens
Bao4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Bamlu at free with in-app purchases against Bao's subscription. Bamlu also leads on rating (4.5 vs 4.0). Bao's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Bamlu sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Bao sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bamlu holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 2 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bamlu versus Bao: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBamluBao
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings22
Update frequencyEvery 2 daysEvery 2 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB42 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperALBERT STEEN FELDTCorentin Martins

Customer experience

Bamlu

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bao

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Bamlu

Subscriptions5
  • BAMLU Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • BAMLU Pro Annual$29.991 Year
  • BAMLU Pro Annual$44.991 Year
Show 2 more
  • BAMLU Pro Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • BAMLU Pro Annual$59.991 Year
One-time3
  • 30 minutes with your teacher$4.99
  • 60 minutes with your teacher$9.99
  • 120 minutes with your teacher$14.99
2 purchases

Bao

Subscriptions2
  • Bao Pro - Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Bao Pro - Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Bamlu free?
Bamlu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bao free?
Bao is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bamlu or Bao?
Bamlu is rated higher. Bamlu averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Bao averages 4.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Bamlu or Bao have ads?
Bamlu shows ads; Bao does not.
Which is updated more often, Bamlu or Bao?
Bamlu ships an update every 2 days, and Bao every 2 days. Most recently, Bamlu was updated on October 31, 2026 and Bao on November 1, 2026.

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