Read Bean
Daily Graded Chinese Readings
How much does Read Bean cost?
Prices are current as of 28 Sept 2026.
3 subscriptions from $14.99
In the United States, Read Bean has 3 subscriptions priced $14.99 – 119.99. It comes with a 3 days free trial.
| Subscription | Period | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Premium | MonthlyTrial: 3 days | $14.99 |
| 6 Month Premium | 6 months | $79.99 |
| Annual Premium | AnnualTrial: 3 days | $99.99 – 119.99 |
10+ alternatives to Read Bean
| Read Bean |   Du Chinese: Read&Learn Chinese |   Daily Hanzi |   Speak Chinese: Learn Mandarin |   Laoshi: Learn Chinese & HSK |   Skritter: Write Chinese |   TCB | Read Chinese to Learn |   TalkHere - Language Learning |   Talk Chineasy: Speak With Ease |   Daily Chinese: Grow Vocabulary |   Readibu - Chinese novel reader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rating / 5 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1.2K | 15K | 11K | 8K | 6.4K | 2.2K | 1.5K | 758 | 558 | 416 | 355 |
| Released | 2025 | 2015 | 2026 | 2023 | 2020 | 2019 | 2016 | 2024 | 2024 | 2019 | 2019 |
| Monthly price | $14.99 | $14.99 | $4.99 | $14.99 | $12.99 | $14.99 | $11.00 | $9.99 | — | $6.99 | — |
| 6-month price | $79.99 | $79.99 | — | $49.99 | — | $59.99 | $49.49 | — | — | — | — |
| Annual price | $99.99 | $119.99 | $29.99 | $59.99 | $79.99 | $99.99 | $88.00 | $59.99 | — | $49.99 | — |
The going rate for each plan in United States, in its own currency, shaded from the cheapest price on the row to the dearest. Plans fewer than four in ten of the priced apps sell are left out.
Read Bean reviews
4.8 out of 5, based on 1,161 reviews.
What people like
- Perfect level for your current skills
- Teaches real culture through news stories
- AI explains characters in context well
- Short lessons fit busy schedules easily
What they complain about
- Keeps crashing frequently and annoyingly
- Banners block text on iPad screens
- Needs constant internet connection always
- Most stories are locked behind paywall
Love
Love the stories. Great for practicing reading and listening.
Banners get in way!
I downloaded this yesterday and I love it so far. My only issue is that the header and base banners get in the way of reading the text or moving to next page. There’s no way to scroll up or down. Very annoying and now I’m stuck because I can’t read the beginning of the text.
Disappointed
I was considering subscribing to this app because the AI conversations were amazing. Unless I’m missing something, the new update appears to have removed them entirely. I know it’s a costly feature, but without it there’s nothing particularly special about this app 😔
Good quality but money hungry
All the stories are locked and you need to pay for them. They only give you ONE story which is a shame because this app has a lot of potential.
quit duolingo for this
i’ve finished duolingo chinese but feel like i haven’t learned much. i’m chinese american so i need to be able to express myself accurately with my family. Duolingo definitely covers the basics but Read Bean applies words to real life and allows me to learn vocabulary while learning about culture.
Design issues
Seems like a good idea for app 1) when you search for app it auto corrects to red bean. Not the same 2) is app designed for iPhone? I am using iPad mini and lots of design issues. Not full screen. Some pages are larger than the shrunken screen and you cannot scroll up or down on it.
Quite enjoyable but crashes all the time
I’m trying this after using duo lingo for a year, and feeling like it’s lacking structure. This app seems to be teaching in a different way. It’s about reading, so there seems to be no pure listening. Which means I probably won’t understand people talking to me, but we shall see. Some bad points are that it seems to need constant internet, it doesn’t seem to cache anything on the device, like a dictionary and standard pronunciation, which is a small amount of data so it should be downloaded. Also it crashes all time time… like, every 15 minutes.
Better than Duolingo
I’ve tried using Duolingo for years but never connected with the content. Reading current articles and being able to explore words and phrases on my own has made learning more effective and engaging. Excited to see the app continue to develop and improve. 加油！
Good
Nice UI
great app!
so interactive and helpful
I loveee
Im learning so much for my level!! So cool
Best Chinese app for ABCs
If you’re an ABC, this is the app for you. It just works and teaches you all the parts you want to learn. Nobody writes anymore, it’s all digital, so just learn to read with this app!
most fun way to incorporate useful chinese into your routine!!
Before Read Bean, I felt like I hit a Chinese learning wall. Watching c-dramas demands 5 hours, I straight up was not advanced enough for news articles, and Duolingo was teaching me useless sentences. As they say, the most important part of learning is staying consistent, and there is no other language app that encourages this consistency as Read Bean. The lessons are short enough where you can easily incorporate Chinese practice into your daily routine. Because it’s tailored to your HSK level, everything is just challenging enough. Lastly — like the other reviewers mentioned, the content is super engaging. Past topics have ranged from historical topics like Chinese maritime history, to playful topics like why Chinese consumers are captivated by the LABUBU toy series, to topical news like the TikTok ban. Through this relevant content, Read Bean allows you to learn not only the language, but also and more importantly, Chinese culture. That’s (usually?) why most people try to learn languages in the first place! I’m excited to see where this app will go - nothing is ever perfect, so it’s nice to see the developers releasing such frequent improvements. I’d never thought that I would look forward to practicing Chinese < 3 I’ve definitely noticed myself improving already and I’ve gained so much yap material with my cousins.
AI-supercharged Chinese learning
Excellent Chinese learning app with an ergonomic UI. AI-powered assistant has been incredibly helpful for learning vocab by actually understanding the shape of characters and the context behind them, rather than repeatedly drilling rote flashcard-based memorization. Stories are interesting and relevant, and spaced repetition for vocab review is helpful for solidifying vocabulary.
Best way to learn practical Chinese!!
This app has been super helpful in improving my Chinese! The articles and stories feel perfectly customized to the right level of challenging — not too hard that the reading feels interrupted but also not too easy that I’m not learning many new words. The bite sized lessons are perfect for my terrible attention span and the flash card reviews really help me solidify my memory of new words! I love repeating the quick word chest review just to get even more practice in. Improving my Chinese significantly always feel too hard to achieve but this app gives me hope :D not to mention UI is stellar. What a great user experience!! Highly highly recommend!!
Read Bean price by country
A monthly subscription costs $4.08 in Nigeria and $30.19 in Luxembourg — 7× more for the same thing. Below is the going rate for each plan in every country that sells it — the middle price of what the app charges there, in the country's own currency with the dollar equivalent beneath it.
| Country | Monthly | 6 months | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Albania | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Algeria | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Angola | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Anguilla | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Antigua And Barbuda | $6.99 | $27.99 | $33.99 |
| Argentina | $6.99 | $27.99 | $33.99 |
| Armenia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Australia | A$18.99$13.66 | A$100.00$71.94 | A$129.99$93.52 |
| Austria | €11.99$13.93 | €64.99$75.48 | €79.99$92.90 |
| Azerbaijan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Bahamas | $7.99 | $44.99 | $54.99 |
| Bahrain | $11.99 | $64.99 | $79.99 |
| Barbados | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Belarus | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Belgium | €11.99$13.93 | €64.99$75.48 | €79.99$92.90 |
| Belize | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Benin | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Bermuda | $18.99 | $79.99 | $129.99 |
| Bhutan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Bolivia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Bosnia & Herzegovina | €6.49$7.54 | €25.99$30.19 | €27.99$32.51 |
| Botswana | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Brazil | R$33.99$6.55 | R$139.90$26.96 | R$150.00$28.90 |
| British Virgin Islands | $7.49 | $39.99 | $49.99 |
| Brunei Darussalam | $13.99 | $74.99 | $89.99 |
| Bulgaria | €6.49$7.54 | €32.99$38.32 | €39.99$46.45 |
| Burkina Faso | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Cambodia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Cameroon | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Canada | CA$15.99$11.59 | CA$84.99$61.59 | CA$100.00$72.46 |
| Cape Verde | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Cayman Islands | $16.99 | $79.99 | $109.99 |
| Chad | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Chile | CLP 6,000$6.43 | CLP 27,000$28.94 | CLP 34,000$36.44 |
| Colombia | COP 28,500$9.07 | COP 112,900$35.95 | COP 121,900$38.81 |
| Congo | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Congo, Democratic Republic | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Costa Rica | $6.99 | $27.99 | $33.99 |
| Cote Divoire | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Croatia | €7.49$8.70 | €37.99$44.12 | €49.99$58.06 |
| Cyprus | €9.49$11.02 | €49.99$58.06 | €59.99$69.67 |
| Czech Republic | CZK 210.00$10.08 | CZK 1,140.00$54.73 | CZK 1,430.00$68.65 |
| Denmark | DKK 100.00$15.55 | DKK 540.00$83.98 | DKK 670.00$104.20 |
| Dominica | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Dominican Republic | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Ecuador | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Egypt | EGP 219.99$4.32 | EGP 869.99$17.10 | EGP 929.99$18.27 |
| El Salvador | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Estonia | €8.49$9.86 | €44.99$52.25 | €54.99$63.87 |
| Fiji | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Finland | €10.99$12.76 | €54.99$63.87 | €69.99$81.29 |
| France | €9.99$11.60 | €54.99$63.87 | €64.99$75.48 |
| Gabon | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Gambia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Georgia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Germany | €10.99$12.76 | €59.99$69.67 | €74.99$87.10 |
| Ghana | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Greece | €6.49$7.54 | €35.99$41.80 | €44.99$52.25 |
| Grenada | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Guatemala | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Guinea-bissau | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Guyana | $8.49 | $44.99 | $54.99 |
| Honduras | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Hong Kong | HK$110.00$14.03 | HK$570.00$72.70 | HK$710.00$90.56 |
| Hungary | HUF 2,990$9.58 | HUF 15,900$50.96 | HUF 19,900$63.78 |
| Iceland | $13.99 | $74.99 | $89.99 |
| India | ₹579.00$6.12 | ₹2,349.00$24.84 | ₹2,499.00$26.43 |
| Indonesia | IDR 107,000$6.06 | IDR 425,000$24.07 | IDR 459,000$26.00 |
| Iraq | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Ireland | €21.99$25.54 | €74.99$87.10 | €139.99$162.59 |
| Israel | ₪36.00$11.96 | ₪190.00$63.12 | ₪239.90$79.70 |
| Italy | €9.49$11.02 | €49.99$58.06 | €64.99$75.48 |
| Jamaica | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Japan | ¥1,300$8.32 | ¥6,980$44.69 | ¥8,690$55.64 |
| Jordan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Kazakhstan | KZT 3,290.00$7.23 | KZT 15,190.00$33.36 | KZT 18,990.00$41.71 |
| Kenya | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Kosovo | €12.99$15.09 | €89.99$104.52 | €79.99$92.90 |
| Kuwait | $10.99 | $59.99 | $74.99 |
| Kyrgyzstan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Lao Peoples Democratic Republic | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Latvia | €6.99$8.12 | €37.99$44.12 | €49.99$58.06 |
| Lebanon | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Liberia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Libya | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Lithuania | €8.99$10.44 | €44.99$52.25 | €59.99$69.67 |
| Luxembourg | €25.99$30.19 | €74.99$87.10 | €139.99$162.59 |
| Macao | $11.99 | $64.99 | $79.99 |
| Macedonia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Madagascar | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Malawi | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Malaysia | MYR 31.99$7.92 | MYR 159.90$39.58 | MYR 200.00$49.50 |
| Maldives | $6.99 | $27.99 | $31.99 |
| Mali | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Malta | €9.99$11.60 | €54.99$63.87 | €64.99$75.48 |
| Mauritania | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Mauritius | $6.99 | $27.99 | $35.99 |
| Mexico | MX$120.00$7.10 | MX$480.00$28.42 | MX$510.00$30.20 |
| Micronesia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Moldova | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Mongolia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Montenegro | €6.49$7.54 | €25.99$30.19 | €31.99$37.15 |
| Montserrat | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Morocco | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Mozambique | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Myanmar | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Namibia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Nauru | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Nepal | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Netherlands | €12.99$15.09 | €69.99$81.29 | €84.99$98.71 |
| New Zealand | NZ$16.99$9.99 | NZ$89.99$52.94 | NZ$119.99$70.58 |
| Nicaragua | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Niger | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Nigeria | NGN 5,400.00$4.08 | NGN 21,500.00$16.26 | NGN 23,000.00$17.40 |
| Norway | NOK 240.00$25.81 | NOK 850.00$91.40 | NOK 1,590.00$170.97 |
| Oman | $7.99 | $44.99 | $54.99 |
| Pakistan | PKR 2,050$7.38 | PKR 8,200$29.54 | PKR 8,800$31.70 |
| Palau | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Panama | $7.49 | $39.99 | $49.99 |
| Papua New Guinea | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Paraguay | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Peru | PEN 25.99$7.74 | PEN 100.00$29.76 | PEN 109.90$32.71 |
| Philippines | ₱390.00$6.24 | ₱1,580.00$25.30 | ₱1,690.00$27.06 |
| Poland | PLN 35.99$9.70 | PLN 190.00$51.21 | PLN 239.99$64.69 |
| Portugal | €7.49$8.70 | €39.99$46.45 | €49.99$58.06 |
| Qatar | QAR 79.99$21.98 | QAR 290.00$79.67 | QAR 539.99$148.35 |
| Romania | RON 37.99$8.40 | RON 200.00$44.25 | RON 250.00$55.31 |
| Russia | RUB 670.00$7.78 | RUB 3,600.00$41.82 | RUB 4,490.00$52.16 |
| Rwanda | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Sao Tome & Principe | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 44.99$12.00 | SAR 229.99$61.33 | SAR 290.00$77.33 |
| Senegal | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Serbia | €6.49$7.54 | €25.99$30.19 | €27.99$32.51 |
| Seychelles | $6.99 | $31.99 | $39.99 |
| Sierra Leone | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Singapore | SGD 34.00$26.77 | SGD 109.98$86.60 | SGD 200.00$157.48 |
| Slovakia | €6.99$8.12 | €35.99$41.80 | €44.99$52.25 |
| Slovenia | €8.49$9.86 | €44.99$52.25 | €59.99$69.67 |
| Solomon Islands | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| South Africa | ZAR 129.99$7.97 | ZAR 519.99$31.86 | ZAR 549.99$33.70 |
| South Korea | ₩13,100$9.73 | ₩69,900$51.91 | ₩87,500$64.98 |
| Spain | €8.49$9.86 | €44.99$52.25 | €54.99$63.87 |
| Sri Lanka | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| St. Lucia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| St. Vincent & The Grenadines | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Suriname | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Swaziland | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Sweden | SEK 140.00$14.63 | SEK 750.00$78.37 | SEK 930.00$97.18 |
| Switzerland | CHF 15.00$18.52 | CHF 70.00$86.42 | CHF 95.00$117.28 |
| Taiwan | NT$220.00$6.96 | NT$1,170.00$36.99 | NT$1,470.00$46.47 |
| Tajikistan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Tanzania | TZS 17,500.00$6.62 | TZS 70,000.00$26.49 | TZS 75,000.00$28.38 |
| Thailand | THB 250.00$7.59 | THB 990.00$30.07 | THB 1,060.00$32.20 |
| Tonga | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | $6.99 | $27.99 | $35.99 |
| Tunisia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Turkey | TRY 200.00$4.13 | TRY 1,059.99$21.87 | TRY 1,319.99$27.24 |
| Turkmenistan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Turks and Caicos | $6.99 | $27.99 | $31.99 |
| Uganda | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Ukraine | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| United Arab Emirates | AED 64.99$17.71 | AED 290.00$79.02 | AED 429.99$117.16 |
| United Kingdom | £8.49$11.47 | £44.99$60.80 | £54.99$74.31 |
| United States | $14.99 | $79.99 | $99.99 |
| Uruguay | $6.99 | $29.99 | $37.99 |
| Uzbekistan | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Vanuatu | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Venezuela | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Vietnam | ₫169,000$6.50 | ₫670,000$25.77 | ₫720,000$27.69 |
| Yemen | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Zambia | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
| Zimbabwe | $6.99 | $27.99 | $29.99 |
Read Bean FAQ
- Is Read Bean free?
- Yes. The app and its basic features are free, in all 174 countries it sells in. Premium features are paid: they start from $14.99 (US), across 3 subscriptions.
- How much does Read Bean cost per month?
- Monthly Premium is $14.99 (US). The annual plan works out cheaper per month: $99.99 – 119.99 a year.
- Does Read Bean have a free trial?
- Yes — a 3 days free trial (US).
- Where is Read Bean cheapest?
- A monthly subscription costs NGN 5,400.00 (≈$4.08) in Nigeria and €25.99 (≈$30.19) in Luxembourg, its cheapest and dearest countries.
- What are the best alternatives to Read Bean?
- Du Chinese: Read&Learn Chinese (4.8 from 15,082 reviews, premium from $14.99), Daily Hanzi (4.6 from 10,589 reviews, premium from $4.99) and Speak Chinese: Learn Mandarin (4.7 from 7,976 reviews, premium from $14.99).
Read Bean download
Last updated 4 months ago.
Read Bean sells in 174 countries. It was released 1 year and 8 months ago, on 8 Jan 2025. It holds a 4.8 rating from 1,161 reviews.
Supports 1 language: English.
How much does Read Bean make?
Third-party estimates for the last 30 days, worldwide — not the store's own figures, which Apple publishes for nobody.
Revenue by plan
- Annual 49%
- Monthly 43%
- 6 months 8%
Revenue by country
- United States 54%
- United Kingdom 4%
- Canada 4%
- Australia 3%