Mandarin The Wild vs Pleco
Pleco is the dictionary in your pocket. Mandarin The Wild explains the Chinese on the page you are already reading.
We make Mandarin The Wild. We checked Pleco’s own pages on 7 October 2026, and we say where it does more.
Where each one runs
Pleco runs on iPhone, iPad and Android, and its Android app also runs on Chromebooks. Pleco: platform FAQ and Pleco for Android.
Mandarin The Wild is an extension for Chrome and Edge on a computer, plus a site that works on any device: a reader for any text you paste, graded stories in the Library, and Backpack and Review for the words you keep. Mandarin The Wild: Chrome Web Store listing.
Reading a web page
Pleco has readers for copied text, documents and web pages, and on Android it can look up words in other apps. Pleco: iOS reader manual and Pleco for Android.
With Mandarin The Wild you stay on the page. Point at a word and its card opens beside it: the word as it is used in that sentence, its pinyin, its parts and its sound. Here is the card our reader gives for one word in a real sentence.
门口放着两把黑色的伞，看起来一模一样。
exactly alike; identical
To compare them fairly, try the same sentence in both and point at the same characters.
Side by side
| What you want to do | Mandarin The Wild | Pleco |
|---|---|---|
| Look up words on a computer | Yes. Point at any word on a web page or YouTube subtitle in Chrome or Edge. | No. Phone and tablet apps; Android also runs on Chromebooks. Pleco: platform FAQ |
| Look up words on a phone | Yes. Paste text into the reader, or read in the Library. | Yes. Its main home. Pleco for iPhone and iPad |
| Choose from several dictionaries | No. One card with the meaning that fits the sentence. | Yes. Many, some as paid add-ons. Pleco for iPhone and iPad |
| Write or photograph characters | No. Not offered. | Yes. Handwriting and camera recognition, some paid. Pleco for iPhone and iPad |
| Keep and review words | Yes. Backpack and Review, on any device with an account. | Yes. Flashcards, a paid add-on. Pleco: iOS pricing and bundles |
| Price | Free to look things up. | Free dictionary, with one-time purchases. Pleco: iOS pricing and bundles |
Where Pleco does more
Pleco has far more dictionaries, handwriting and camera input, and downloads that work offline. If you need to look up a sign on the street or write a character you can't type, Pleco is the better tool. Pleco for iPhone and iPad and Pleco for Android.
Which to choose
If most of your Chinese is on a phone, start with Pleco. If you read articles and watch YouTube on a computer, try Mandarin The Wild: you never leave the page, and the words you keep come back in Review. Many learners use both.
Questions
Does Pleco work on a computer?
Pleco’s Android app runs on Chromebooks. It has no Chrome extension for Windows or Mac.
Can I use both?
Yes. They don’t get in each other’s way: Pleco on your phone, Mandarin The Wild in your browser.
How much does Pleco cost?
The basic dictionary is free, with one-time purchases for extras. Prices vary by platform; see its own pricing page.
Is Mandarin The Wild free?
Looking words up is free, with no account. A free account lets you keep words in your Backpack and review them.
Sources
Checked on 7 October 2026. Prices and features change; tell us if one has.