We know that there are tons of apps to learn Chinese out there, and yet learners get confused about which app they should be using. You can’t just choose a random language app and expect to learn Chinese in one go. Learning via language apps doesn’t work like that.
In fact, choosing the right language app is crucial, as not all of them are the same. But to give you a hint, you can not go wrong with the Ling app, an app designed to learn 60+ languages effectively while having fun. And yes, all apps have different features, purposes, and styles. No worries if you still haven’t found the most suitable app to learn Mandarin Chinese!
In this blog, we’ve gathered the eight best apps for learning Chinese and reviewed them for you! So, sit back and read till the end to find the one for you.
Quick Summary:
Best For
App
Ling
- Interactive lessons
- AI Chatbot
- Speech recognition
LingoDeer
- Structured curriculum
- Immersive exercises
- Gamified learning
Rocket Languages
- Audio lessons
- Cultural insights
- Real-life dialogues
Why Learn Chinese?
Mandarin is spoken by over a billion people, making it the world’s second most widely spoken language. Imagine all the cool folks you could connect with – from traveling in China to chatting with Chinese-speaking friends.
And don’t forget how incredibly advantageous it could be for your career. With China’s booming economy, many businesses value Mandarin speakers. It’s like having a secret key to unlock job opportunities in international trade, business, and even diplomacy. As a Mandarin Chinese speaker, your resume will definitely stand out in the crowd.
The next advantage is getting to know the amazing Chinese culture. Learning the language gives you direct access to a treasure trove of literature, movies, music, and art. With Chinese skills, it is pretty easy to dive into ancient traditions and modern pop culture alike.
Need more convincing? Well, Mandarin Chinese characters are notorious for giving your brain a fantastic workout. Learning them improves memory, problem-solving, and multitasking skills. Besides, learning Chinese can be a load of fun! The tones and unique sounds might feel like you’re mastering a secret code. Now, if you’re ready, let’s discover what are the best Chinese learning apps for you!
At a glance:
- Best For Gamified Learning: Ling
- Best For Comprehensive Learning: LingoDeer
- Best For Interactive Audio Lessons: Rocket Languages
- Best For Learning Chinese Characters: Zizzle
- Best For Beginners: Duolingo
- Best For Practicing Pronunciation: Speechling
- Best For Visual Learners: Drops
- Best For Finding Chinese Tutors: iTalki
1. The Ling App: Best For Gamified Learning
Let’s start with the best: the Ling app, an all-in-one language app that makes learning Chinese pretty easy. If you’re a complete beginner, Ling is the perfect app to help you step up and learn Chinese from scratch.
This gamified app ensures that you learn Chinese in a fun and engaging way that feels more like playing a game than studying. The Ling app also provides relevant lessons without being too repetitive. It is pocket-friendly and appeals to all proficiency levels.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Ling App Overview
Ideal for beginners, the Ling app turns Chinese learning into a game-like experience, focusing on everything from vocabulary to pronunciation. Unlike other apps, it avoids repetitive lessons, making learning feel fresh and engaging.
Features
- The best part about the Ling app is the interactive lessons that cover everything from Chinese characters and vocabulary to grammar, speaking, and listening.
- The app also offers personalized learning paths so you can focus on the areas that matter most to you.
- The Ling app has a speech recognition feature that helps you improve your accent and sound like a native speaker while practicing conversational skills with AI chatbots.
- This best app to learn the Chinese language sports a vast library of real-life dialogues and audio recordings for you to practice your listening skills. Best part? You get used to comprehending different accents!
Pricing
- Free with beginner lessons and an introductory Chatbot.
- Monthly: $14.99
- Six Months: $39.99
- Yearly: $79.99 (7-day free trial)
- Lifetime: $149.99
2. LingoDeer: Best For Comprehensive Learning
LingoDeer is a popular language-learning app that provides an interactive and engaging platform for users to learn various languages, including Chinese. LingoDeer offers comprehensive courses designed to help beginner and intermediate learners build their language skills. It sports a user-friendly interface that hosts structured language courses.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
LingoDeer Overview
LingoDeer stands out with its well-structured Chinese courses, blending grammar, vocabulary, and speaking in a user-friendly format. Its unique approach combines interactive exercises with personalized learning, and a touch of gamified experience.
Features
- LingoDeer has a holistic approach to learning Chinese. It provides a well-structured curriculum that covers all aspects of the Chinese language, including grammar, vocabulary, listening comprehension, speaking, and reading.
- The app creates an immersive and effective environment for Chinese learners by combining interactive exercises and personalized learning techniques.
- The gamified approach helps keep things interesting for learners.
Pricing
- Monthly premium: $14.99
- Quarterly premium: $39.99
- Yearly premium: $150.99
- Lifetime subscription: $159.99
3. Rocket Languages: Best For Interactive Audio Lessons
Rocket Languages is a language-learning app designed to help you master Chinese. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, Rocket Languages makes language learning a joy.
The app provides a well-structured curriculum that covers all aspects of the Chinese language. This includes vocabulary, grammar, listening comprehension, speaking, and writing.
It also gives cultural insights, which is my favorite feature of the app. This interactive app has a user-friendly and intuitive interface, which makes navigation a smooth ride.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Rocket Languages Overview
Rocket Chinese excels in offering audio lessons with native speakers, enriching learners with real-life dialogues and cultural nuances. This app immerses learners in the cultural context of Chinese.
Features
- Rocket Chinese offers interactive audio lessons with native Chinese speakers, allowing learners to practice their listening comprehension and develop an ear for the language.
- The app offers lessons that incorporate real-life dialogues and cultural insights. This gives the learner a deeper understanding of the Chinese language and its culture.
Pricing
- 6 months plan: $450.00 ($75.00/month) (Levels 1, 2, & 3)
- Beginner to Intermediate: $149.95/year (Level 1)
- Beginner to Advanced: $299.90/year (Levels 1 & 2)
- Beginner to Advanced: $449.85/year(Levels 1, 2, & 3)
4. Zizzle: Best For Learning Chinese Characters
Zizzle is another great app with which you can start learning Chinese characters. With its intuitive interface and unique features, Zizzle is a must-have tool for Chinese learners. You can immerse yourself in bite-sized lessons that focus on character recognition, vocabulary, and sentence structure.
It also offers you decent enough pronunciation practice. However, unlike the Ling app, its lessons lack cultural context, which might not work well for learners beyond the beginner level.
Devices: Android, iOS
Zizzle Overview
Zizzle specializes in teaching Chinese characters through engaging, bite-sized lessons. It’s particularly effective for those focusing on character recognition and pronunciation.
Features
- Zizzle’s friendly voice guides you through pronunciation practice and ensures accurate tones.
- The app’s gamified approach keeps learning engaging and fun.
- Zizzle’s Spaced Repetition System is pretty helpful in optimizing vocabulary retention.
Pricing
- Monthly premium: $9.99
- Quarterly premium: $24.99
- Yearly premium: $59.99
- 3-year premium: $159.99
5. Duolingo: Best For Beginners
Alright, who doesn’t know Duolingo? It is a popular language-learning app that brings fun and effectiveness to learning Chinese! With its vibrant interface and interactive features, Duolingo makes language learning a breeze. With its focus on gamification and interactive exercises on sentence structure, Duolingo is an ideal app to learn Chinese for beginners.
But, it does lack in providing cultural context to its users. Compared to other apps to learn Chinese, like the the Ling app, Duolingo lacks proper grammar explanations and ample scope for speaking practice. Some also find its lessons to be too repetitive. Yet, it does make up for all the cons with its single most USP – offering the entire course for free!
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Duolingo Overview
Duolingo is a well-known app for its vibrant, game-like learning experience, perfect for beginners starting with Chinese. It focuses on vocabulary and sentence structure, making it an easy entry point into the language.
Features
- It offers the perfect bite-sized lessons that focus primarily on vocabulary and sentence structure.
- Duolingo’s gamified approach motivates you with achievements, leaderboards, and progress tracking.
Pricing
- Monthly premium: $6.99
- Yearly premium: $83.99
- Family plan: $119.99
6. Speechling: Best For Practicing Pronunciation
Speechling is the next language-learning app on our list. With its advanced voice recognition system and focus on correct pronunciation, Speechling is one of the best apps for mastering Chinese pronunciation and listening skills. Apart from that, the platform also provides a structured curriculum covering vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Speechling Overview
Speechling is dedicated to mastering Chinese pronunciation, offering a unique blend of voice recognition and feedback from tutors. It’s a great complement to other learning resources for a well-rounded language experience.
Features
- Speechling offers a standout feature for learning Chinese: pronunciation practice. With audio recordings by native speakers, learners can mimic authentic pronunciation.
- Another great feature is the scope to receive personalized feedback from tutors. However, using Speechling alongside other resources is important to develop a comprehensive understanding of the language, including listening, reading, and writing skills.
Pricing
- Monthly premium: $19.99
7. Drops: Best For Visual Learners
Drops is one of the most vibrant language-learning apps that brings fun and efficiency to learning Chinese! With its engaging design and unique features, Drops is an excellent choice for beginners.
It also offers bite-sized lessons that focus on Chinese vocabulary acquisition through interactive and visually appealing exercises. What sets Drops apart is its emphasis on visual learning. Each word is accompanied by vibrant illustrations, making it easier for learners to associate the word with its meaning.
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
Drops Overview
Drops makes learning Chinese vocabulary visually appealing and engaging, perfect for those who learn best through images. Its unique approach to teaching through illustrations sets it apart from more traditional apps.
Features
- The app’s best feature is its gamified approach, as it incorporates game-like elements, like time-bound challenges and streak rewards. This keeps the learners motivated and engaged.
- The audio pronunciation by native speakers ensures accurate tones and helps learners develop their listening skills.
- Drops also provides an extensive range of topics, from everyday conversation to specialized vocabulary, tailoring to learners’ specific needs and interests.
Pricing
- Free for one topic per day for five minutes.
- Monthly premium: $13.00
- Yearly premium: $69.99 ($5.83/month)
- Lifetime premium: $159.99
8. iTalki: Best For Finding Chinese Tutors
iTalki is the ultimate language-learning app that connects you with native Chinese tutors from around the world. With iTalki, you can have personalized one-on-one language lessons that fit your schedule and learning style. But the best part is that expensive subscription plans do not bind you. Each budget range can easily find its potential match!
Devices: Android, iOS, Web
iTalki Overview
iTalki connects learners with native Chinese tutors, offering personalized, one-on-one lessons. It’s ideal for those seeking tailored guidance and real conversational practice, differing from self-guided learning apps.
Features
- The app’s best feature is its vast community of professional teachers who provide customized lessons tailored to your specific needs.
- The tutors guide you towards perfect pronunciation, conversation, and grammar concepts.
- You have the easy option of choosing the perfect tutor based on their expertise and ratings.
- The platform also offers language exchange opportunities, allowing you to practice Chinese with native speakers in a friendly and supportive environment.
Pricing
- Community tutors: $4 – $30/hour
- Professional teachers: $10 – $80/hour
- Lesson packages: Varies
How To Choose From Apps To Learn Chinese (Mandarin)
As you can see, there are tons of apps to learn Chinese in the market, and almost all are paid apps. That is why you need to choose your app wisely and not spend your money and time on nothing. That’s why you should figure out your learning needs before subscribing to a Chinese app. But what do I mean by learning needs?
Here is an example: you’re a complete beginner who can’t even write Chinese characters, and you chose a language exchange app like Sizzle. Would that app match your learning needs? Absolutely not! So, first, decide what you need from the app. It could be to practice writing Chinese characters, dive deep into Chinese grammar, or just conversational practice for more advanced learners.
Which App To Learn Chinese Should You Pick?
Now that you have gone through a list of apps to learn Chinese, do you feel more confident in making a decision? Or have I rendered you more confused? I hope not!
You see, the best way to make this decision is to list down your language learning goals, your strong suits, time available, and budget. Based on these parameters, you can easily make your choice.
And if you ask me, I would suggest you give the Ling app a solid try. Why? Because it’s an all-encompassing language-learning app with interactive features and the latest technology-based exercises. The price doesn’t make a dent in your pocket, and you have the best cultural immersion experience as you spend a mere 10 minutes on the app daily.
Considering all of this, just head to your App Store or Play Store and download the Ling app now! Happy learning!
Updated by: Jefbeck
