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Best Mandarin Learning Apps For Beginners

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.7 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated August 2026

From beginner-friendly picks to power-user tools, our mandarin learning apps for beginners list covers 250+ iPhone apps updated through August 2026. Compare ratings, prices, and screenshots in one place.

Compare top Mandarin Learning Apps For Beginners (August 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1HelloChinese - Learn ChineseHelloChinese - Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (23K)NoYesSep 2026
2ChineseSkill - Learn ChineseChineseSkill - Learn ChineseFree4.8★ (15K)NoYesSep 2026
3Duolingo: Language LessonsDuolingo: Language LessonsFree4.7★ (5.4M)YesYesSep 2026
4SuperChinese - Learn ChineseSuperChinese - Learn ChineseFree4.9★ (3.6K)NoYesSep 2026
5Zi - Learn Mandarin DailyZi - Learn Mandarin DailyFree—NoNoJul 2026
6MyMandarin - Learn ChineseMyMandarin - Learn ChineseFree4.2★ (11)NoYesAug 2026
7Merry Mandarin: Learn ChineseMerry Mandarin: Learn ChineseFree5.0★ (1)NoYesSep 2026
8Chinese Language Learning App for Kids - Fruit vocabulary with PinyinChinese Language Learning App for Kids - Fruit vocabulary with PinyinFree—NoNoAug 2026

Top Picks for Mandarin Learning Apps For Beginners

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
ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese#2

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

#1 Mandarin & Cantonese App
Strong Contender
📚 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
Duolingo: Language Lessons#3

Duolingo: Language Lessons by Duolingo, Inc

Languages, Math, Music & Chess
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.7😊(5.4M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#1in Education
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 1
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 2
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 3
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 4
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 5
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 6

Learn languages, math, music, and chess through fun, bite-sized lessons. Build vocabulary, grammar, and real-world skills with a science-based methodology. Track progress and stay motivated with a global community.

What We Love

  • 🤩 Fun and entertaining learning experience
  • 🎉 Motivating streak and league features
  • 🎨 Cute and engaging animations
  • 📚 Effective for learning vocabulary and basics
  • 🤖 Useful AI-powered features like voice lessons

Room to Improve

  • 🤖 Issues with voice recognition and pronunciation feedback
  • 🤑 Aggressive monetization tactics and paywall for key features
  • 🤯 Frustrating heart/health system that penalizes mistakes
  • 🤔 Lack of grammar explanations and focus on just memorizing phrases
  • 🤷‍♀️ Inconsistent app experience across platforms

More Mandarin Learning Apps For Beginners apps to explore

FAQ about Mandarin Learning Apps For Beginners

What are the best mandarin learning apps for beginners for iPhone?
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese tops our mandarin learning apps for beginners ranking as of August 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 23K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top mandarin learning apps for beginners we rank are free to download, including HelloChinese - Learn Chinese and ChineseSkill - Learn Chinese.
HelloChinese - Learn Chinese has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of August 2026.
We track 250+ mandarin learning apps for beginners on the iOS App Store as of August 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.