“It was pretty good until I unexpectedly hit the paywall at level 5, after having only learned a few basic sentences. Edit to respond to the developer: I appreciate that development takes money. But since some features of the app were…”
Independent automated assessment · 6 signal sources · 711 reviews scanned · analyzed 2026-10-04.
4.8 ★434,365 ratings
10M+Downloads
4+Age rating
107 MBApp size
FreeIn-app purchases
About this app
HelloChinese is the best Mandarin Chinese learning app for beginners! Featured on the App Store in New Apps We Love and Notable Education Apps!
Designed in a fun and highly effective manner, HelloChinese helps you rapidly learn Mandarin Chinese from scratch to a conversational level. With HelloChinese, learners can "learn the Chinese language, explore Chinese culture" – you will not only learn Mandarin Chinese but also enjoy the process of delving into the culture intertwined with the language.…
Preview
Real screenshots from the store listing.
Independent evidence report
Evidence and review signals
This is where the page changes from an app-store listing into an evidence report: findings, important reviews, pricing and a dated history.
Which version this describes
When we ran this analysis, and what the store lists now.
This analysis describes version 7.11.7 of the app (the version number recorded inside the package we inspected), analyzed 2026-10-04 . The app may have changed since.
The store currently lists version 7.11.7, updated 2026-09-24.
What we measured
Each line is a measurement published as a measurement, never a verdict.
Each line is a measurement, published as a measurement. Where we have not looked, the line says so rather than reading as a zero.
Developer replies to reviews
Replies to at least 1 review in 20
Price in the store description
States no price and billing period
Cancelling, in the store description
Does not say how to cancel
Themes reported by reviewers
1 theme reported
Counted from the reviews we have read for this app. "No theme reported" means no theme reached our reporting threshold — it is not a finding that nothing is wrong with this app, and we do not say it is.
Five-star share of ratings
80–89% five-star
Arithmetic on the stores' own published rating counts. It says nothing about why the ratings fall where they do.
In the package we scanned
From the package we downloaded and read — version 7.11.7, scanned 2026-09-27.
Permissions Android classifies as dangerous
1–2 requested
Counted against the eighteen permissions listed in collect-package.ts. A dangerous permission is one Android asks the user to grant; requesting one is not itself a finding.
Analytics or tracking SDKs in the scanned package
1–2 found
Advertising SDKs in the scanned package
None found
Counted as distinct SDKs in the package we scanned. One mediation bundle can contribute several, so this is not a count of advertisers.
Graded bands · predicate set 1.4 · how these are measured
What the analysis found
App-specific findings, grouped by what each one rests on. How they are graded lives on its own page.
Positive evidence 2
Things this app does right, published at the same strengths as the catch list.
Developer says data deletion can be requested
The developer's data-safety disclosure on the store states that users can request deletion of their data, or the app's own text offers a way to delete the account. This restates what the developer declares; it is not a test of whether deletion works. Apple publishes no equivalent disclosure, so on an Apple-only listing only the app's own text can support it.
What we saw: The developer's store data-safety disclosure states that data deletion can be requested; we have not seen a deletion control in the app's own text
No advertising SDKs
No advertising or mediation SDK of any kind was found in the package.
What we saw: No advertising or mediation SDK among the 5 SDKs detected in the package
One source only — shown, not confirmed 3
A single kind of evidence. We publish these because withholding them would be the bigger distortion, and we do not treat any of them as a finding we stand behind.
In the app's own text: Pay to progress
Advancement or competition is gated behind spending money rather than playing.
What we saw: Progress itself is for sale: "You don't have enough coins to buy hearts. Please buy more coins first."
Reported by users: Paywall blocks the basics
The core of the app — not extras — sits behind payment, or previously-free function moved behind a paywall.
What we saw: Paywall blocks the basics: raised by 5 distinct reviewers (0.7% of 711 reviews scanned)
In the app's own text: Progress pauses until you wait or pay
Use is rationed by an energy/hearts/lives meter that runs out and forces a wait or a purchase.
What we saw: Use is rationed by a refillable meter: "You ran out of hearts."
Highlighted reviews
Representative public review excerpts shown as user reports, not Appworthy audit evidence.
“loved the start of this app, great system to learn at but got stuck at an ai conversation that wouldn't record and then the next lesson was locked behind a paywall”
“Too expensive. Borderline predatory. Already paid so much and so many contents are still locked behind another paywall. Would gladly reverse my decision, get a refund and stop using the app if it's an option.”
Assessment & version history
App changes and Appworthy events in one timeline.
Store listing updated to version 7.6.5.
What this app sells
Useful store-disclosed pricing, kept below the app listing.
Items shown0
Lowest—
Highest—
Google Play does not publish per-purchase prices.