Which mobile app do Chinese learners find to be the most helpful? There are a ton of amazing Chinese learning Android and iOS apps out there. However, their usefulness is usually limited to the goals and habits of those who are using them. The key to learning with these apps is to find what works for you, and what doesn’t. Accordingly, you can then separate these apps by their strengths and weaknesses, their purposes and their main training targets, which will save you time and energy that you can then give to proper learning.

So here it is, my recommendations of the best Chinese language learning apps for beginners that are available right now.

#1 ChineseSkill

ChineseSkill is a free mobile app for learning Mandarin. Its curriculum consists of 45 topics focusing on learning vocabulary and grammar through context, and using a gamification mechanism similar to the language learning platform Duolingo.

ChineseSkill based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the international standard for describing language ability.

#2 HelloChinese

HelloChinese helps newbies learn how to speak, read, and write Pinyin characters in Chinese Mandarin, with immersive game-based learning exercises based on the Hànyǔ Shuǐpíng Kǎoshì (HSK) levels -- China's only standardized assessment of Standard Chinese language proficiency for non-native speakers.

#3 Du Chinese

The 3rd app is Du Chinese. It is a great reading app for learners of all levels. It pushes daily reading materials ranging from "Newbie" level to "Advanced" level.

#4 Pleco

Pleco is the number one Chinese dictionary app in the world. It is a must-have for every English-speaking student who is learning Chinese. The app features a clean, fairly intuitive, easy-to-use design. In the same search bar, you can type either pinyin for Chinese phrases, or English words.

Finding time to study Chinese is a big challenge, but with the internet, there are always ways to learn it.