HelloChinese provides language learning for beginners studying Chinese, with multiple interface language options.
Pleco
Pleco offers Chinese language reference and learning on iPhone, with additional tools described on its site.
About Pleco
Pleco is a Chinese dictionary and language-reference app for iPhone, iPad, and Android, supported by a companion website. It pairs licensed dictionary databases with several ways to look words up, including camera OCR, handwriting recognition, and tapping words in a document, and adds study tools such as flashcards, audio, and animated stroke-order diagrams.
Dictionary content comes from licensed publisher databases including Oxford, Brill, and FLTRP. Audio covers 34,000 Mandarin words recorded by two native speakers, with a speech synthesizer for sentences and Cantonese support. Some capabilities differ by platform: the document reader handles TXT/EPUB/DOC/PDF files and web pages on iOS but only TXT/EPUB/PDF on Android, and the screen reader for looking up words inside other apps is Android only. The company states it has been in business 26 years and offers free compatibility updates whenever possible. Pricing is not stated on the homepage.
Key features
- Camera OCR looks up Chinese words live or in still images
- Handwriting input tolerates stroke order mistakes
- Licensed dictionary databases from publishers including Oxford, Brill and FLTRP
- Audio from two native speakers for 34,000 Mandarin words
- Flashcards created from dictionary entries or imported vocabulary lists
- Document reader with tap-to-look-up; web pages on iOS only
Best for: Chinese language learners and readers who want dictionary lookup and study tools on iPhone, iPad, or Android.
Good for
- Dictionary content drawn from licensed databases from major publishers
- Several lookup methods, including camera, handwriting, and document tapping
- Company states 26 years in business and free compatibility updates whenever possible
Watch out for
- Document reader support differs by platform: DOC files and web pages are iOS only
- Screen reader for looking up words in other apps is Android only
- Pricing and plan details are not stated on the homepage
Pleco at a glance
- Website
- pleco.com
- Category
- Education & Learning › Language Learning
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Android, iOS, Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Pleco alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
Lin Yutang's Chinese-English Dictionary of Modern Usage provides Chinese-English dictionary reference material.
Laoshi helps users build Chinese vocabulary with a learning tool and smart practice.
KongLongMandarin describes a bottom-up approach to learning Mandarin Chinese.
Trainchinese combines a Chinese-English dictionary with flashcards, audio examples, and details about characters and vocabulary.
Hanly teaches Chinese characters through their composition and origins, with lessons available on iOS and Android.
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Pleco FAQ
Which platforms does Pleco run on?
The site describes Chinese language reference and learning apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
Is the screen reader available on every platform?
No. The screen reader, which looks up Chinese words in any app via a floating button, is Android only.
Does the document reader support the same file types on iOS and Android?
No. On iOS it supports TXT, EPUB, DOC, and PDF files plus web pages; on Android it supports TXT, EPUB, and PDF files.
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