Top 10 Best Apps to Learn Chinese in 2025: From Beginner to Fluent

Finding the right Chinese learning app in 2025 can save you months. We compared the top options by speaking features, tone training, content quality, and overall experience. Here are the 10 best—plus how to choose based on your goals.

1) MandaLearn (Best Overall AI Coach)

• Best for: Beginners to intermediate learners who want daily guidance, speaking feedback, and fun practice.
• Strengths:
  • AI Speaking Tutor for real-time corrections on tones, rhythm, and fluency.
  • Pinyin Game to master tones with instant feedback.
  • Free bite-sized lessons with spaced repetition.
  • Podcast & Audiobook for level-based listening.
  • AI Learning Helper for goals, tracking, and personalized plans.
• Consider if: You value a friendly, structured path that ties speaking, tones, and listening together.

2) Duolingo

• Best for: Casual beginners who like gamified streaks.
• Pros: Easy to start, bite-sized lessons.
• Cons: Limited speaking feedback; tones not deeply trained.

3) Pleco

• Best for: Learners who need a powerful dictionary and reader.
• Pros: Add-ons for OCR, flashcards; great for character lookups.
• Cons: Not a full learning path; relies on self-direction.

4) Anki

• Best for: Serious spaced repetition users.
• Pros: Highly customizable decks.
• Cons: Setup overhead; no speaking feedback.

5) ChinesePod

• Best for: Audio lessons across many levels.
• Pros: Large catalog; topic variety.
• Cons: Less interactive; separate tools needed for speaking.

6) HelloChinese

• Best for: Beginners wanting a course-like experience.
• Pros: Solid lessons, speech recognition.
• Cons: Feedback on tones can be inconsistent.

7) Memrise

• Best for: Vocabulary growth with video clips.
• Pros: Real speaker videos; mnemonic-friendly.
• Cons: Limited grammar depth; speaking practice is basic.

8) Skritter

• Best for: Writing Chinese characters.
• Pros: Stroke order training; spaced repetition.
• Cons: Focused on writing; not ideal for speaking.

9) Ninchanese

• Best for: Gamified learning paths with stories.
• Pros: Fun progression; graded content.
• Cons: Smaller ecosystem; speaking tools limited.

10) Chinese Zero to Hero!

• Best for: HSK-aligned video courses.
• Pros: Clear explanations; exam focus.
• Cons: Less interactive; supplement with speaking.

How to Choose the Right App for You

• If you’re starting out: Pick an app with tones + speaking feedback (MandaLearn, HelloChinese).
• If you need listening: Choose apps with levelled audio (MandaLearn Podcasts, ChinesePod).
• If writing characters is your goal: Add Skritter.
• If you’re time-poor: Use AI planning and micro-lessons (MandaLearn).

Sample 30–45 Minute Stack (Beginner to Conversational)

• 10 min: Tones with MandaLearn Pinyin Game
• 15 min: MandaLearn Free Lesson + review
• 10–20 min: AI Speaking Tutor + Podcast shadowing

The bottom line: Use one main app that covers speaking, tones, and listening—and supplement as needed. That’s why MandaLearn is our top pick for 2025.