Learning Chinese has never been more accessible, thanks to the explosion of free language tools available online. Whether you're looking to build vocabulary, improve your pronunciation, or practice reading and typing, there’s something for everyone.
Here are 10 of the best free tools to help you learn Chinese in 2025:
The gamified learning app that made language learning fun now includes a well-structured Mandarin course. Great for total beginners and casual learners.
Designed specifically for Mandarin learners, HelloChinese offers interactive lessons, speaking practice, and offline support. It’s like Duolingo, but with Chinese-first thinking.
Another mobile-first app focused on Mandarin. Includes voice recognition and writing practice, making it ideal for daily use.
A fun, gamified world with over 10,000 characters and grammar tips built into story-based progression. Great for kids and visual learners.
This web tool helps you break down characters into components and radicals. Excellent for decoding the logic behind complex hanzi.
Run by a former Chinese teacher, this channel offers hundreds of video lessons covering pronunciation, grammar, and conversational phrases.
A spaced-repetition flashcard platform made for Chinese and Japanese learners. Fully customizable and focused on efficient memorization.
With real dialogues and audio-based lessons, ChinesePod is ideal for improving listening comprehension and real-world vocabulary.
Though no longer updated, BBC's archived beginner resources include useful vocabulary, video clips, and cultural tips.
Great for handwriting practice. You can trace characters, get stroke order animations, and see character decompositions.
In addition to the tools listed above, here are two projects I've built to help Chinese learners around the world:
Whether you’re just starting or want to reinforce what you’ve learned, these tools can help you study smarter, not harder. Best of all, they’re all free — so there’s no excuse not to start today!