HelloChinese alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave HelloChinese: content thins out past upper-beginner, and full course needs a subscription. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces HelloChinese, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Du Chinese currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	DuDu Chinese	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	4 of 4	66.5
2	LingoDeer	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	4 of 4	62.6
3	Duolingo	Free plan + paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	4 of 4	59.6
4	Anki	Open source	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux +3	5 of 5	57.2
5	italki	Paid	No	Web, iOS, Android	3 of 3	55.3

Du
1. Du ChineseTop pick
Best for: Mandarin learners past the basics who want graded reading with audio
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
66.5
score / 100
Why switch from HelloChinese
Graded reading with audio once you know the basics.
Pros
Graded lessons for every level
Native audio and tap-to-translate on every word
Free selection of lessons
Cons
Not a full course
Full library needs a subscription
No speaking practice
Visit Du Chinese Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Du Chinese a good HelloChinese alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free tier
Free lessons available
Checked Oct 25, 2026duchinese.net(opens source in a new tab)
Monthly price
$14.99
Checked Oct 25, 2026duchinese.net(opens source in a new tab)
Library
3,000+ readings
Checked Oct 25, 2026duchinese.net(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
iOS, Android and web
Checked Oct 25, 2026duchinese.net(opens source in a new tab)
2. LingoDeer
Best for: Beginners in Japanese, Korean or Chinese who want clear grammar explanations
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
62.6
score / 100
Why switch from HelloChinese
Grammar-focused course that also covers Chinese.
Pros
Clear grammar notes in every lesson
Native-speaker audio throughout
Multi-year one-time payment options
Cons
Content tops out around lower-intermediate
Most of the course is behind the paywall
Smaller community than Duolingo
Visit LingoDeer Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is LingoDeer a good HelloChinese alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Monthly price
US$14.99
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Annual price
US$95.99 (discounted)
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Curriculum
Grammar-based, written by teachers
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Audio
Native-speaker voices
Checked Oct 25, 2026lingodeer.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. Duolingo
Best for: Beginners and casual learners who want a free, fun daily habit
Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android
59.6
score / 100
Why switch from HelloChinese
Free gamified Chinese course.
Pros
Full course path is free
Streaks and leagues make daily practice stick
Huge choice of languages and courses
Cons
Little explicit grammar teaching
Hard to reach advanced levels with it alone
Free tier has ads and limits on mistakes
Visit Duolingo Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Duolingo a good HelloChinese alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Max tier
Subscription tier above Super
Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
Super benefits
Unlimited energy, no ads, personalised review
Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
AI features
Video Call and Roleplay (Max)
Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
Max availability
188 countries on iOS and Android
Checked Oct 25, 2026blog.duolingo.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Anki
Best for: Self-directed learners who want free, customisable spaced-repetition flashcards
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
57.2
score / 100
Why switch from HelloChinese
Free flashcards for long-term character and vocabulary review.
Pros
Free and open source on desktop and Android
Highly customisable cards and scheduling
Large library of shared decks and add-ons
Cons
Dated interface and steep learning curve
Official iOS app is paid
You must build or choose decks yourself
Visit Anki Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Anki a good HelloChinese alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Sync
Free AnkiWeb sync
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Desktop price
Free on Windows, Mac and Linux
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Android app
AnkiDroid, free
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
iOS app
AnkiMobile, paid, funds development
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
Deck size
Handles 100,000+ cards
Checked Oct 25, 2026apps.ankiweb.net(opens source in a new tab)
5. italki
Best for: Learners who want flexible, pay-per-lesson tutoring in almost any language
PaidWeb, iOS, Android
55.3
score / 100
Why switch from HelloChinese
Book a Mandarin tutor to practise tones in conversation.
Pros
Pay per lesson with no subscription
Huge range of languages and tutors
Cheap community tutors for conversation
Cons
Quality varies by tutor
Scheduling across time zones takes effort
Costs add up with frequent lessons
Visit italki Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.363
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.1585
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is italki a good HelloChinese alternative?
Verified facts
3 of 3 verified
Teachers
20,000+
Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)
English tutor prices
$4 to $60 per hour
Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)
30-minute English lesson
Typically $4 to $10
Checked Oct 25, 2026italki.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best HelloChinese alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Best HelloChinese alternative for most people

Du Chinese

Graded reading with audio once you know the basics.