Duolingo
Duolingo is the largest language learning app in the world, and for good reason. The onboarding is effortless, the daily habit loop is powerful, and the free tier is generous. For someone who has never studied a word of Chinese, Duolingo removes every barrier to starting.
What it does well. The gamification genuinely works for building a daily habit. The bite-sized lessons fit into any schedule. The recent addition of Duolingo Max brings AI conversation practice to the platform. And it is free to use with ads.
Where it falls short. Depth. Duolingo teaches recognition through multiple choice and translation, but it does not train pronunciation with real feedback, does not teach writing, and does not offer graded reading material. The content thins out significantly above HSK 3. For learners who have been studying for more than six months, the lessons start to feel repetitive.
Best for: Absolute beginners who need a low-friction way to start.
Price: Free with ads. Super Duolingo from $12.99/month ($84/year). Duolingo Max with AI features from $29.99/month ($168/year). Family plan for up to 6 users from $120/year.
HelloChinese
HelloChinese is designed specifically for Mandarin and it shows. The curriculum is structured, the pronunciation exercises are solid, and the character writing practice is built in from the start. It is one of the best-designed beginner experiences available.
What it does well. The structured curriculum takes you from zero through HSK 4 with clear progression. Pronunciation practice with speech recognition is included in every lesson. Character writing with stroke order is part of the core experience. The UI is clean and the pace is well-calibrated for beginners.
Where it falls short. Content above HSK 4 is limited. The graded reading library is small compared to dedicated readers. Advanced learners will outgrow it. The free tier is restrictive, locking most content behind a subscription.
Best for: Beginners who want a structured, Mandarin-specific curriculum with writing practice included.
Price: Free tier available. Premium from $11.99/month ($69.99/year).
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone pioneered the immersive approach: no English translations, just images and audio in the target language. The method has passionate supporters and equally passionate critics.
What it does well. Full immersion from lesson one. The speech recognition (TruAccent) provides pronunciation feedback. The method builds strong instincts for matching meaning to sound without translating in your head. Lifetime purchase option available.
Where it falls short. The no-translation approach is frustrating for Chinese specifically, where characters, tones, and grammar are so different from English that some explicit instruction helps. No character writing practice. Limited content depth for Mandarin. The curriculum does not align with HSK levels, making it hard to measure progress against a standard.
Best for: Learners who prefer full immersion and have patience for the method.
Price: 3-month plan from $44.99. Annual plan from $109.99. Lifetime option at $199.99.
Busuu
Busuu offers structured courses with a social element: native speakers in the community review your written exercises. The courses are well-organised and the progression is clear.
What it does well. Structured curriculum with clear progression. Community correction from native speakers is a genuinely useful feature. The courses cover grammar, vocabulary, and basic conversation. Clean interface with offline access.
Where it falls short. The Chinese course is noticeably thinner than Busuu's European language courses. Limited content above HSK 3. No character writing practice. No pronunciation scoring. The community corrections are helpful but inconsistent in quality.
Best for: Beginners who value structured courses and community feedback.
Price: Free tier available. Premium from $9.99/month ($70/year).
Rocket Chinese
Rocket Chinese is an audio-focused course with detailed grammar explanations. The lessons are long, thorough, and structured more like a traditional course than a mobile app.
What it does well. Deep, detailed lessons with thorough grammar explanations. Audio-focused approach that builds listening skills systematically. The cultural notes add context that most apps skip. Lifetime purchase option. Genuinely good for learners who want to understand why the grammar works the way it does.
Where it falls short. The interface feels dated. No character writing practice. Limited graded reading. The lesson format is long and can feel like a lecture. Not well-suited for quick daily practice sessions.
Best for: Learners who prefer thorough, audio-based lessons with grammar depth.
Price: Lifetime purchase. Level 1 from $99.95. Levels 1-2 from $249.90. All three levels from $259.90.
FluentU
FluentU teaches through authentic video content: TV clips, music videos, news segments, and more. Each video is annotated with interactive subtitles, vocabulary lists, and quizzes. The idea is that you learn from content native speakers watch.
What it does well. Authentic video content with interactive subtitles. Hover over any word for definitions and example sentences. The "learn from real content" approach is motivating and exposes you to natural speech patterns. Good variety of content types and difficulty levels.
Where it falls short. No writing practice, no pronunciation scoring, no structured curriculum. The video library can feel scattered without a clear learning path. The subscription is on the expensive side for what amounts to annotated video watching. Loading times can be slow.
Best for: Learners who are motivated by video content and want exposure to authentic Chinese media.
Price: From $29.99/month ($143.99/year).
Ling App
Ling App covers over 60 languages with gamified lessons, including Mandarin Chinese. The app is particularly strong for less commonly taught languages (Thai, Lao, Georgian, Khmer) where other apps have no presence at all. For Chinese, it provides a structured beginner experience with a playful interface.
What it does well. Covers an enormous range of languages, so if you are learning Chinese alongside a less common language, one subscription handles both. The lessons are gamified with speaking exercises, matching games, and dialogues. Character writing practice is included. The chatbot feature provides basic conversation practice.
Where it falls short. The Chinese content is not as deep as apps built specifically for Mandarin. The pronunciation feedback is basic. Limited graded reading material. The gamification leans toward casual learners. Content above HSK 3 is thin. If Mandarin is your only target language, a Chinese-specific app will take you further.
Best for: Learners studying Chinese alongside other languages, especially less common ones. Casual beginners who want a lighthearted approach.
Price: Free tier available. Premium from $14.99/month ($79.99/year).
Comparison Table
| App | Pronunciation | Conversation | Guided lessons | Listening | Price |
|---|
| Hidden Dragon | Syllable-level | AI (9 accents) | Dragon Lessons | Karaoke + Shadow | $12.99/mo |
| Duolingo | No | Max plan (AI) | Yes | Basic | ~$12.99/mo |
| HelloChinese | Basic | No | Yes | Structured | $11.99/mo |
| Rosetta Stone | TruAccent | No | Yes (immersive) | Immersive | ~$15/mo equiv. |
| Busuu | No | Community feedback | Yes | Basic | $9.99/mo |
| Rocket Chinese | Basic | No | Yes (audio) | Audio-focused | From $99.95 (lifetime) |
| FluentU | No | No | No | Authentic video | $29.99/mo |
| Ling App | Basic | Chatbot | Yes | Basic | $14.99/mo |
So Which App Should You Use?
There is no single best app. There is the best app for what you need right now.
If you have never studied Chinese before and just want to start, Duolingo or HelloChinese will get you moving with zero friction. HelloChinese is the stronger choice if you want pronunciation practice from day one.
If you want structured lessons with grammar depth, Rocket Chinese goes deeper into grammar explanations than any other app on this list. The trade-off is a dated interface and long lesson format.
If you want exposure to authentic Chinese media, FluentU gives you real video content with interactive subtitles.
If you prefer full immersion, Rosetta Stone commits to the no-translation method. It works for some learners. It frustrates others.
If you want speaking practice with real feedback, Hidden Dragon's syllable-level pronunciation scoring and AI conversation scenarios with regional accents are unique on this list. The Guided Dragon Lessons structure your entire session so you do not have to decide what to practise next.
If you are studying multiple languages, Ling App covers 60+ languages in one subscription.
The real answer, for most serious learners, is two or three apps working together. And if reading and vocabulary tools matter to you (they should), see our companion post: Best Apps for Reading Chinese, Vocabulary, and Flashcards.
If you are also navigating which HSK level to target, the HSK version comparison shows the full vocabulary breakdown across HSK 2.0, 3.0, and 3.1 — useful for picking the right exam level and study materials.
Going the other direction — a Chinese native speaker improving English pronunciation? We cover ELSA Speak, Speechling, and the other top tools in a separate guide: Best English Pronunciation Trainers for Chinese Speakers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app for practising Chinese speaking?
Hidden Dragon offers syllable-level pronunciation scoring and AI conversation scenarios with regional accent options. HelloChinese has solid pronunciation exercises for beginners. Duolingo Max adds AI conversation at its highest tier. For structured audio lessons, Rocket Chinese goes deepest on grammar and listening.
How can I practise Chinese listening without a tutor?
FluentU provides authentic video content with interactive subtitles. Hidden Dragon offers karaoke read-along on over 4,000 stories and a Shadow the Dragon mode for hands-free commute practice. Rocket Chinese builds listening skills systematically through its audio-focused lessons.
Is Duolingo good enough for learning Mandarin?
Duolingo is an excellent starting point. It builds vocabulary, basic grammar, and a daily habit. It is not sufficient on its own for reaching conversational fluency because it does not train pronunciation with specific feedback, does not teach character writing, and thins out above HSK 3. Think of it as a strong foundation that you will eventually supplement.
What is the best Chinese app for pronunciation?
Hidden Dragon provides syllable-level scoring that identifies exactly which sound is wrong. HelloChinese includes pronunciation exercises in every lesson. Rosetta Stone's TruAccent system gives pronunciation feedback through its immersive method. Most other apps either skip pronunciation scoring entirely or offer only pass/fail detection.
Can I learn to speak Chinese without a teacher?
You can make significant progress with the right tools. The key ingredients are: comprehensible input at your level, forced production (speaking without prompts), and specific feedback on what went wrong. Apps that combine all three, like Hidden Dragon's pronunciation scoring and conversation scenarios, come closest to replicating what a tutor provides. For a deeper look at why speaking requires its own practice, see Why Your Mandarin Is Not Improving.
We built Hidden Dragon because we wanted speaking practice with real feedback, guided lessons, and conversation scenarios with regional accents to exist in one place. If it sounds like what you need, try it for free. If another app on this list is the better fit, use that instead. The only wrong choice is the app you stop using.
Hero photo by Ling App on Unsplash.
