Freemium Free HSK 1–3; Premium ~$12/mo Editor's pick ★
HelloChinese
Best structured course for beginners
Last verified: Jul 1, 2026
HelloChinese offers a gamified HSK-aligned curriculum from absolute zero. Lessons cover pinyin, tones, grammar, and vocabulary with speaking exercises that check your pronunciation. The free tier covers HSK 1–3 content; premium unlocks more levels, games, and podcasts. It is a stronger starting point than Duolingo for serious Mandarin study because it actually teaches tones and grammar explicitly.
Pairs well with ReadChinese
Finish HelloChinese HSK 1–2 lessons, then start reading HSK 1–2 stories on ReadChinese to see vocabulary in real context.
Pros
- ✓Excellent beginner curriculum
- ✓Tone checking
- ✓HSK-aligned path
- ✓Fun game elements
Cons
- −Limited beyond intermediate
- −Premium needed for full access