Best Mandarin Keyboard Apps

248+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

3.4 avg rating
18 free apps
Updated September 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good mandarin keyboard apps. We benchmark 248+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Compare top Mandarin Keyboard Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Pleco Chinese DictionaryPleco Chinese DictionaryFree4.7★ (1.9K)NoYesSep 2026
2Translator Keyboard - LanguageTranslator Keyboard - LanguageFree4.7★ (21K)NoYesSep 2026
3Pinyin PengyouPinyin PengyouFree1.2★ (6)NoYesSep 2026
4Gboard – the Google KeyboardGboard – the Google KeyboardFree4.1★ (59K)NoNoSep 2026
5Du Chinese: Read&Learn ChineseDu Chinese: Read&Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (4.5K)NoYesSep 2026
6ToneBoard KeyboardToneBoard KeyboardFree4.8★ (5)NoNoMay 2026
7Easy Mailer Chinese KeyboardEasy Mailer Chinese Keyboard$0.991.0★ (2)NoNoAug 2026
8PULSE English-Chinese KeyboardPULSE English-Chinese KeyboardFreeNoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Mandarin Keyboard

Pleco Chinese Dictionary#1

Pleco Chinese Dictionary by Pleco Inc.

Handwriting, OCR, flashcards
Editor's Choice
🔍 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
Translator Keyboard - Language#2

Translator Keyboard - Language by Air Apps Systems

Translate Text, Message & Chat
Strong Contender
🔧 Utilities
4.7😞(21K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 1
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 2
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 3
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 4
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 5
Translator Keyboard - Language screenshot 6

Type and translate text instantly in over 60 languages directly from your keyboard. Seamlessly communicate in any app without switching or copying. Enhance conversations with emojis.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fast translation
  • 👍 Convenient keyboard translator
  • 💡 Supports many languages
  • 👍 Easy to use

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Requires subscription after limited free use
  • 🐛 Inconsistent translations
  • 🐛 Keyboard issues
  • 💰 Expensive subscription
Pinyin Pengyou#3

Pinyin Pengyou by Guy Brooker

Keyboard for language learners
Worth Considering
📚 Education
1.7(7 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Pinyin Pengyou screenshot 1
Pinyin Pengyou screenshot 2
Pinyin Pengyou screenshot 3
Pinyin Pengyou screenshot 4

This keyboard app helps Chinese language learners type Chinese characters (Hanzi) by suggesting words based on Pinyin input. It offers various dictionaries and custom word options, with a subscription unlocking Hanzi writing capabilities.

More Mandarin Keyboard apps to explore

FAQ about Mandarin Keyboard

What are the best mandarin keyboard apps for iPhone?
Pleco Chinese Dictionary tops our mandarin keyboard apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.7-star average from 1.9K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 18 of the top mandarin keyboard apps we rank are free to download, including Pleco Chinese Dictionary and Translator Keyboard - Language.
Pleco Chinese Dictionary has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 248+ mandarin keyboard apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Pleco is an all-in-one Chinese learning application that combines a powerful dictionary, a document reader, and a flashcard system. It allows users to look up words, read Chinese texts, and create study cards for memorization, supporting both simplified and traditional characters.
Key features include extensive dictionaries with over 110,000 entries, full-screen handwriting input, live Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for instant word lookup, a document reader that supports various file formats, and a flashcard system with Spaced Repetition System (SRS) for effective memorization. It also offers stroke order diagrams and audio pronunciations.