Mondly Chinese App
The Best Alternative to Duolingo
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced Learners, Students, Travel
Content: Chinese vocabulary trainer (5000 words), playful exercises, grammar
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 9.99 (1 month and 1 language), USD 47.99 (12 months and access to all 41 languages)
Discount offer: USD 99 (Lifetime Access to all 41 Languages)
Overall Value: 
The Mondly App lets you learn the Chinese language in a playful way with a series of interactive exercises.
This Chinese learning program contains:
- Chinese vocabulary trainer with 5000 words
- 50 topics and categories to choose from
- 2100 Chinese lessons, including grammar
- Conversation trainer for common situations (speech recognition)
- There is even a virtual reality version of this learning app
Mondly has around 45 million users worldwide. This language course has the advantage of having 41 source languages and 41 target languages.
Summary: Mondly is very similar to the Babbel and Duolingo apps and even better in terms of quality. The cost-benefit ratio for the lifetime access to all 41 languages is unbeatable.
Link:
Mondly Chinese App and Online Course
Chinese Basic Course
From 17 Minute Languages
Systems: Online Access (PC, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS)
Suitable for: Beginners and Advanced Learners, Students, Professionals
Content: 1300 words (basic course), 5200 words (complete course), grammar, verb conjugations, exercises
Prices: USD 29,95 (Basic Course), USD 97 (Complete Course)
Overall Value:
The Chinese Basic Course contains a vocabulary trainer for the basic Chinese vocabulary (1300 words), as well as lessons and various exercises. This includes Chinese grammar and conjugations.
All words, phrases and sentences are spoken by native speakers.
This basic course corresponds to the official language levels A1 and A2 (explanation of CEFR language levels).
The Complete Course contains:
- Basic course for beginners (basic vocabulary with 1300 words)
- Intermediate course (1800 more words)
- Advanced course for experts (2100 words)
- Additional specialized vocabulary
- Covers the official CEFR language levels A1 to C2
There are 17 different languages you can use to learn Chinese with this app.
Summary: Much cheaper and even better than the famous Rosetta Stone. There is a free demo version available and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Link: Chinese Basic Course and Complete Course
Skritter Chinese App
Learning to Write Chinese
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC und Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, advanced learners, pupils, students, business
Content: Vocabulary trainer, learn to write Chinese characters
Prices: Free (first week), USD 14.99 (1 month), USD 99 (12 months)
Overall Value: 
The Skritter Chinese App is a popular app that lets you not only expand your vocabulary, but you also learn to write Chinese characters correctly.
You can choose specific topics in the vocabulary lists and practice the corresponding words and Chinese characters.
The Skritter Chinese learning app contains:
- 10.000 Chinese characters including translations and proper writing
- Native-speaker audio for each word or Chinese character
- Traditional and simplified Chinese characters
- Recognition of handwriting and feedback
- Offline-Version is available
The online version for computers offers even more features and options than the app. With the subscription you have access to both the app and the online version for computers.
Summary: Very popular app for learning Chinese and for a good reason. It offers unique and very useful features at an affordable price.
Link: Skritter Chinese App and Online Course
Rocket Languages: Chinese
Learn Chinese Without Subscriptions
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, PC and Mac
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, advanced learners, students, business
Content: Exercises with native speaker audio and speech recognition, writing, grammar, culture
Prices: Free (initial lessons), USD 89 (basic course), USD 249 (full course)
Overall Value:
Rocket Languages offers a complete Chinese language course for download, without monthly subscriptions.
It covers the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels (A1-C2).
This Chinese learning software and app features:
- 6000 Chinese words and characters in the lessons and exercises
- Complete grammar explanations and exercises
- Pronunciation and conversation trainer
- Chinese native speaker audio and speech recognition
- Explanations of cultural differences via audio and video
You can use the Rocket Languages Chinese course completely offline on the computer
and on your smartphone after the download.
Summary: Excellent premium Chinese course on par with Rosetta Stone but without a subscription. You pay only once and own the software. There is also a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Link: Rocket Languages Chinese Learning Software
Rosetta Stone: Chinese
Most Famous Language Learning App
Systems: PC, Mac, Android, iOS Apps
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, experts, professionals, business
Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio and speech recognition
Prices:
USD 36 (3 months)
USD 145 (12 months)
USD 299 (Lifetime access)
USD 349 (Lifetime access for 24 languages)
Overall Value:
How does Chinese learning with Rosetta Stone work?
Rosetta Stone has a different approach to language learning than many other online courses or language apps such as Duolingo, Memrise and others.
The idea behind Rosetta Stone is to learn a language like you did as a child - by using pictures in combination with listening, speaking, and reading.
Each Rosetta Stone lesson includes the following exercises:
- Pronounce the words or phrases correctly (speech recognition)
-
When reading or hearing a word, click on the correct picture
-
When looking at a picture, click on the correct word
-
Type in a spoken word correctly (Chinese keyboard is displayed on the screen), etc.
A possible disadvantage of Rosetta Stone is that there are no grammar explanations or translations of the Chinese vocabulary.
Instead, you are supposed to learn the grammar and the meaning of words from the context or recognize the meaning from the pictures.
Rosetta Stone Apps and Online Version:
The Rosetta Stone Chinese learning software can be used online with a subscription for 3 or 12 months or with a Lifetime Access.
In addition to the online version, there are now also Rosetta Stone apps for iPhones and Android smartphones.
Summary: Time-tested method, but the lack of grammar explanations and translations may make Rosetta Stone not suitable for everyone.
Link: Rosetta Stone App and Online Course
Lingodeer Chinese App
Includes Grammar and Speech Recognition
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio and speech recognition, grammar
Prices: USD 12 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months), USD 99 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
The Lingodeer App is somewhat similar to Duolingo or Babbel, but has a more extensive list of features:
- Chinese native-speaker audio for each word and speech recognition to practice the correct pronunciation.
- You can even choose between different speakers.
- 200+ lessons, vocabulary trainer, exercises, quizzes.
- Very good grammar explanations, significantly better than in many other apps such as Duolingo or Rosetta Stone.
- Suitable for beginners and intermediate level learners (A1-B1).
- User community (native speakers) can give pronunciation feedback.
- You can download the app and use it offline.
The use of playful exercises and "achievements" ("gamification") is supposed to make Chinese learning more interesting and motivating.
Summary: The Lingodeer App impresses with excellent grammar lessons and speech recognition. However, this app has lessons only for beginners and intermediate level learners.
Link: Lingodeer Chinese App and Online Course
Duolingo Chinese App
Well-Known Language Learning App
Systems: Android App, iOS App, PC and Mac
Content: Exercises with native-speaker audio
Prices: Free (with ads), USD 12.99 (1 month), USD 60 (12 months)
Overall Value: 
The Duolingo App offers beginner language courses for 36 languages, including Chinese. Duolingo covers mostly the basics as well as some intermediate level Chinese vocabulary.
The major drawback of Duolingo (just like Rosetta Stone) is that there are no grammar explanations.
The vocabulary learning with Duolingo is "gamified", which means it is structured like a game with levels, experience points, achievements, etc.
The interface is relatively similar to the apps from Babbel and Mondly.
Summary: The vocabulary trainer and the exercises of the program are okay. However, it is not possible to learn Chinese grammar with this app.
LingQ Chinese App
Innovative Approach to Learn Chinese
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, advanced learners, students, professionals
Content: Video and text lessons, browser extension to import any Chinese texts, vocabulary trainer
Price: USD 10 (1 month subscription)
Overall Value:
The LingQ Chinese App is basically a translation program that is combined with a personalized vocabulary trainer.
In addition to the lessons and texts that are included in this app, any Chinese text can be imported. LingQ has its own browser extension for Firefox, Safari and Chrome to import texts (including ebooks).
You can click on any Chinese character in the texts to see a translation and this adds the word to your personal vocabulary trainer.
LingQ also has many videos and podcasts in Chinese, the content of which appears as a text next to the video or podcast — so that any word there can be clicked on and saved as well.
Unfortunately, there are no grammar lessons, meaning that this app will not suffice on its own to learn Chinese.
Summary: Very interesting way to learn Chinese vocabulary on any subject. However, you need other apps for the Chinese grammar.
Bluebird Chinese App
Chinese Lessons and Exercises
Systems: Android and iPhone apps, online version (PC and Mac)
Content: Chinese exercises with native speaker audio and speech recognition
Prices: USD 9.99 (1 month), USD 100 (12 months), USD 200 (unlimited), USD 400 (163 languages)
Overall Value:
The Bluebird App offers 146 source languages and 163 target languages and dialects, including Chinese.
The Chinese language course in this app includes the following:
-
Daily video lessons in three difficulty levels
-
Basic Chinese vocabulary on several dozen topics
-
Common Chinese verbs with conjugations
-
Analysis of your own pronunciation (with speech recognition)
-
Tests: listening comprehension, filling in word gaps, vocabulary quizzes
There are about 500 video lessons for learning Chinese, each 5 to 60 minutes long. For languages with other scripts, the words can also be displayed transliterated in the Latin script.
The Bluebird app has no grammar lessons. Instead, you are supposed to understand the grammar "implicitly" from the examples, like in Rosetta Stone.
Summary: The video lessons and the interface take some getting used to, but the exercises are quite varied. Especially for smaller languages, this app is a viable alternative.
Mango Chinese App
Includes Grammar
Systems: Android and iOS Apps, Online Version
Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio, grammar, culture
Prices: USD 7.99 (1 month), USD 80 (1 year),
USD 18 (1 month and 70 languages), USD 180
(1 year and 70 languages)
Overall Value:
The Mango Languages App offers 70 languages, including Chinese.
This app also has some grammar lessons and cultural explanations. The explanations in English are all recorded and well done.
However, the number of lessons for learning Chinese is quite small, which means that this app is only suitable for absolute beginners.
There are no exercises, except for the repeated vocabulary tests.
You can also record your own pronunciation in the app and compare it with the recording of a native speaker.
Summary: Good quality, but not much vocabulary. Only for absolute Chinese beginners.
Lingo Chinese App
Playful Chinese Learning
Systems: Android and iPhone Apps, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Chinese lessons and exercises
Prices: USD 19.99 (1 month), USD 40 (3 months), USD 60 (6 months)
Overall Value: 
The Lingo Play App offers language courses for 70 languages. It offers "gamified learning", which means learning vocabulary in a playful way.
Each Chinese lesson offers the following exercises:
-
Presentation of new words with translation and image
-
Decide whether a Chinese word matches the image
-
Select one of four pictures that matches a word
-
Type in the Chinese word for a picture
-
Correctly type in a spoken Chinese word
In the full version this app offers up to 5000 Chinese words. The interface of the app is similar to Babbel, Duolingo or Mondly.
There is also a multiplayer mode and competitions where you can test your Chinese skills against other people.
Summary: Overpriced Chinese course that does offer some good exercises, but is not better than other similar apps.
Busuu Chinese App
Not really recommended
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online-Version (PC and Mac)
Suitable for: Beginners, intermediate, high school students, college students, travelers
Content: Lessons and vocabulary trainer with native speaker audio, grammar
Prices: USD 9,99 (1 month), USD 69 (12 months)
Overall Value:
The Busuu App is a language learning app for 12 languages, including Chinese. The interface is similar to apps like Duolingo, Babbel or Mondly.
- With this app you can learn Chinese up to beginner or intermediate levels (A1-B2). The expert levels C1-C2 are not included.
- The Busuu app has Chinese lessons with native speaker audio and pictures (no speech recognition), as well as a vocabulary trainer.
- The app can be used in offline mode.
- A unique feature of the Busuu app is a kind of internal social network where users can give feedback and correct each other.
Unfortunately, the grammar explanations here are not that good and the lessons are also structured strangely (difficult words before easier ones).
Summary: Definitely the weakest of the tested Chinese learning apps in terms of quality.
Drops Chinese App
Alternative to Babbel and Duolingo
Systems: Android App, iPhone App, Online Version (PC and Mac)
Content: Chinese lessons with native speaker audio, vocabulary trainer
Prices: USD 13.30 (1 month), USD 72 (12 months),
USD 164 (unlimited)
Overall Value:
The Language Drops app is most notable for having 47 target languages and 40 source languages, similar to Mondly.
You can learn about 3000 Chinese words and phrases with this app. However, there are hardly any exercises, except for introducing new Chinese words and matching these words to pictures.
You can choose from which topics you want to learn new Chinese words and at what skill level you want to learn (whether you know the language somewhat).
If you want to try the app for free for two weeks you have to provide your payment information and then cancel it.
The "deal" you get in the app is more than 3 times as expensive as when you click "Get Premium" on the website (USD 38 per month instead of USD 13.30 per month).
Summary: No variety, no grammar and only 3000 words. Does not justify the higher price, even if you get access to all languages.
Pimsleur Chinese Course
Most Expensive Software to Learn Chinese
Systems: PC and Mac (incl. Mobile App)
Suitabe for: Beginners, advanced, students, travel vocabulary
Content: Chinese vocabulary, lessons with native-speaker audio and speech recognition
Price: USD 575 (complete download)
Overall Value:
The Pimsleur App is very similar to Rosetta Stone in that it does not give grammar explanations, verb conjugation tables, etc.
Instead, the Pimsleur method is supposed to let you learn the Chinese language intuitively, just like your native language - by combining pictures, reading and speaking (speech recognition).
This Chinese learning course for PCs and Macs also includes a mobile app for Android and iOS systems.
Pimsleur offers 14 course languages you can use to learn Chinese as a second language.
Summary: The most expensive Chinese course, even though it is unlikely that learning with it is much better than with the cheaper apps.
