Best HSK platforms 2026: Duolingo vs HelloChinese vs Skritter
What people actually use to prepare HSK in 2026. Duolingo vs HelloChinese, Skritter vs LingoDeer, and where Chinese Trainer fits.
Overview
The searches that already exist are not “Chinese app.” They are “Duolingo vs HelloChinese,” “Skritter vs LingoDeer,” and “best HSK platforms 2026.” Each tool wins a different job. Chinese Trainer does not replace Pleco or Skritter; it covers an HSK path, SRS, readings, and an AI tutor on the web.
How to compare Chinese apps in 2026
Generic roundups mix dictionaries, games, and courses. For HSK you need something else: exam-aligned vocabulary, spaced repetition, listening and output, and a clear level.
Reddit usually recommends a stack, not a single winner: HelloChinese to start, Pleco to look up, Anki or Skritter for characters, Du Chinese to read. That advice is fair. The cost is running four apps with no daily path.
Duolingo vs HelloChinese
This is the comparison people type. Duolingo wins habit and a generous free tier. HelloChinese wins real Mandarin: tones, characters, and a path closer to HSK 1–4.
Neither is a full HSK mock exam or a tutor that remembers your weak points. Full write-up: Duolingo vs HelloChinese.
Skritter vs LingoDeer
Skritter wins handwriting and character memory. LingoDeer wins grammar notes and a structured Asian-language course. They are not the same job.
If hanzi writing is the bottleneck, Skritter. If sentence structure is the bottleneck, LingoDeer. Full write-up: Skritter vs LingoDeer.
Best HSK platforms by job (2026)
Friendly beginner course: HelloChinese. Cheap daily habit: Duolingo (as a side app, not an HSK plan). Character writing: Skritter. Clear grammar: LingoDeer. Dictionary: Pleco. Custom decks: Anki. HSK path + SRS + readings + AI tutor on the web: Chinese Trainer.
There is no universal “best Chinese app.” There is a best tool for the job you have this quarter.
Where Chinese Trainer fits
Chinese Trainer is a Mandarin web app (and PWA) with HSK vocabulary, spaced repetition, grammar, graded readings, and an AI tutor with memory. Study tools sit behind login and are not indexed; this page describes the product.
We do not claim to beat Skritter at stroke order or Pleco at lookup. We do claim you should not need five apps to know what to study today for HSK.
Related resources
Put it into practice
If you want HSK vocabulary, review, and practice in one place, try Chinese Trainer. If you only want a streak or handwriting drills, the apps below may fit better.