Best Chinese Apps

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.7 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated September 2026

HelloChinese is the household name in chinese, but it's far from the only option. We track 250+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Chinese Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1HelloChinese - Learn ChineseHelloChinese - Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (23K)NoYesSep 2026
2Pleco Chinese DictionaryPleco Chinese DictionaryFree4.7★ (1.9K)NoYesSep 2026
3ChineseSkill - Learn ChineseChineseSkill - Learn ChineseFree4.8★ (15K)NoYesSep 2026
4Du Chinese: Read&Learn ChineseDu Chinese: Read&Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (4.5K)NoYesSep 2026
5SuperChinese - Learn ChineseSuperChinese - Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (3.7K)NoYesSep 2026
6rednoterednoteFree4.9★ (269K)NoYesSep 2026
7Chineasy: Learn Chinese easilyChineasy: Learn Chinese easilyFree4.8★ (9.4K)NoYesSep 2026
8Chinese Stroke Order CharacterChinese Stroke Order CharacterFree4.5★ (661)YesYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Chinese

HelloChinese - Learn Chinese#1

HelloChinese - Learn Chinese by HelloChinese Technology Co., Ltd.

#1 Chinese Learning App
Editor's Choice
📚 Education
4.9😊(23K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 1
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 2
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 3
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 4
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 5
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese screenshot 6

This app offers a fun and effective way to learn Mandarin Chinese from beginner to conversational levels. It combines game-based lessons, stories, videos, and speech recognition to help you master pronunciation, characters, and practical conversations while exploring Chinese culture.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Easy to learn
  • 👍 Engaging and fun
  • 👍 Helpful for beginners
  • 👍 Good for pronunciation practice
  • 👍 Useful for learning Chinese characters
  • 👍 Effective teaching methods
  • 👍 Convenient for on-the-go learning
  • 👍 Comprehensive learning experience

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent speech recognition
  • 🐛 Audio quality issues in some videos
  • 💰 Paywall limits access to full content
  • 💰 Premium subscription is expensive
Pleco Chinese Dictionary#2

Pleco Chinese Dictionary by Pleco Inc.

Handwriting, OCR, flashcards
Strong Contender
🔍 Reference
4.7😊(1.9K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Pleco Chinese Dictionary screenshot 1
Pleco Chinese Dictionary screenshot 2
Pleco Chinese Dictionary screenshot 3
Pleco Chinese Dictionary screenshot 4
Pleco Chinese Dictionary screenshot 5

This app is a comprehensive tool for learning Chinese, offering integrated dictionaries, document reading, and flashcard features. It supports various input methods including handwriting and OCR, with extensive dictionary options and pronunciation guides.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Extremely helpful and useful
  • 👍 Comprehensive and detailed dictionary
  • 🔍 Excellent search and lookup features
  • 💡 Customizable and personalized experience
  • 🎓 Essential tool for learning Chinese
  • 🔊 Clear audio pronunciations

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Expensive add-ons and bundles
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and freezing issues
  • 🔍 Cluttered interface and navigation
  • 🌐 Lack of cloud sync and backup
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese#3

ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese by YIYAN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.

#1 Mandarin & Cantonese App
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.8😊(15K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 1
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 2
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 3
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 4
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 5
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese screenshot 6

Master Mandarin Chinese with interactive lessons, smart reviews, and AI-powered speaking practice. Learn Pinyin, Hanzi, vocabulary, and grammar for work, travel, or HSK exams. Improve listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.

What We Love

  • 👍 Great app for learning Chinese
  • 🚀 Comprehensive and effective learning approach
  • 💡 Helpful explanations and grammar notes
  • 👍 Engaging and fun learning experience
  • 👍 Versatile features (pinyin, characters, writing practice)
  • 👍 Excellent value, lots of free content

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or glitches
  • 🔒 Concerns about subscription cancellation and account issues
  • 💰 Paid subscription required to access all features
  • 🤔 Some lessons feel repetitive or lack progression
  • 💬 Desire for more audio/speech practice features

More Chinese apps to explore

FAQ about Chinese

What are the best chinese apps for iPhone?
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese tops our chinese apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 23K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top chinese apps we rank are free to download, including HelloChinese - Learn Chinese and Pleco Chinese Dictionary.
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 250+ chinese apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
HelloChinese is designed to help beginners learn Mandarin Chinese from scratch to a conversational level. It offers a fun and effective approach through game-based lessons, stories, videos, and interactive exercises that cover listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
Key features include game-based learning to keep users engaged, over 1,000 graded stories, immersive lessons for practical conversations, 2,000+ videos with authentic speakers, innovative learning games, speech recognition for pronunciation correction, character handwriting practice, systematic HSK-level courses, and bite-sized curriculum.

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