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The best apps to learn Chinese by reading
If you want to learn Chinese by reading, here is how the main apps differ: what you read, what it costs and who each one suits. We make Inkpaper, so we say plainly where another app is the better choice.
The short answer
- To read graded stories for free, from your first words: Inkpaper.
- For the largest graded library with human recordings, paid: Du Chinese.
- For a few minutes of game-like drills a day: Duolingo or HelloChinese.
- For news at your level: The Chairman’s Bao.
- For native web novels once you read well: Readibu.
- As a dictionary beside any of them: Pleco.
Side by side
| App | What it is | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inkpaper | Graded stories from HSK 1 to HSK 6, with flashcards, grammar and speaking practice | Free | Learning to read Chinese, beginners included, without paying |
| Du Chinese | Graded stories and articles with recorded audio; subscription. | $14.99 a month or $119.99 a year; a free plan limited to free lessons | Readers who want a large library and recordings by human speakers, and are happy to pay for it. |
| Duolingo | Short game-like lessons in 40+ languages; free with ads. | Free with ads; Super Duolingo is an optional subscription | Learners who want a few minutes of game-like practice a day, and like streaks and leagues. |
| HelloChinese | Game-based Chinese course with speech recognition, handwriting and videos. | See their app store listing | Beginners who want a structured course with pronunciation and handwriting practice. |
| Mandarin Bean | Free website of graded readings, HSK 1 to 6+, recorded by teachers. | Graded readings free | Learners who want free graded articles in a browser, in simplified or traditional. |
| The Chairman’s Bao | News articles graded in six levels, with recorded audio; subscription. | Premium subscription; free sample lessons | Learners who want to read about current events at their level. |
| Readibu | Reader for native Chinese web novels and your own files, with lookup. | Core reader free; Premium for extras | Upper-intermediate readers ready for native web novels. |
| Pleco | The standard Chinese dictionary app, with a document reader and flashcards. | Free dictionary; paid add-ons | Everyone learning Chinese, as a dictionary beside whatever they read. |
Why Inkpaper
Inkpaper is built around one idea: you learn to read Chinese by reading a lot of it at your level. Every story is graded by HSK level, pinyin sits above every word, a tap gives a word’s meaning and sound, and every chapter is read aloud. The words you save come back as flashcards on the right day. Each sentence shows the grammar it uses. Beginners at HSK 1 and 2 can learn a story step by step, and speaking practice checks your tones. It is free, on the web and on iPhone and iPad.
Where others are stronger, we say so: Du Chinese has a far larger library and recordings by human speakers; Duolingo and HelloChinese are better at short daily drills; Readibu opens up native novels. Inkpaper’s audio is made with speech synthesis.
Detailed comparisons
Facts about other apps are taken from their own websites and App Store listings, checked on 26 October 2026. Prices are in US dollars and may differ in your country. Something out of date? Tell us through the feedback link at the bottom of the page.