The best free tools for Chinese tones and pronunciation (2026)
Tones only improve when you hear the difference between your voice and a native one. These five tools show it, each in its own way.
We make Mandarin The Wild. Everything we say about the other tools comes from their own pages, with each source listed below.
The list at a glance
| Tool | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Mandarin The Wild | Seeing your tones drawn over a native speaker’s, word by word and in whole sentences | Free, no sign-up |
| 2. Yoyo Chinese pinyin chart | Hearing every pinyin sound, with a video explanation | Audio free; the videos need a free account1 |
| 3. TonePerfect | An iPhone app that scores each syllable’s tone | Free to start; Pro is a subscription2 |
| 4. Speechling | A human coach’s notes on your recordings | Free plan; Chinese coaching is in Unlimited, from $19.99 a month3 |
| 5. HelloChinese | Speaking drills inside a beginner course | Free lessons, with a paid plan5 |
1. Mandarin The Wild
We make it, so judge this one hardest. Tone practice plays a real word from the HSK 1–4 lists in a female or male voice; you hold the button and say it, and the page draws your pitch over the speaker’s, so you see which tone went flat or fell too early. Your voice stays on your device. Then move up a size:
- Tone pairs. All 20 two-tone combinations, each a real word to hear, with the third-tone and neutral-tone changes shown.
- Shadowing. Say a whole sentence back after a native narrator and see your pitch over theirs, syllable by syllable, HSK 1 to 6.
- Pronunciation checker. Read a real sentence aloud and see which words speech recognition understood.
- Pinyin chart. Every syllable in four tones, to hear and to print.
我想买一本书。
to buy; to purchase
Also written 買
2. Yoyo Chinese pinyin chart
An interactive chart of every pinyin syllable: press one to hear it. Its short videos explain how to make each sound; those need a free sign-up. A good reference, but it doesn’t listen to you.1
3. TonePerfect
An iPhone and iPad app that scores how you say each syllable and drills tone pairs. Free to start; its Pro subscription unlocks the full courses, unlimited practice and a voice coach.2
4. Speechling
You record yourself on its sentences and a human coach sends back notes. Its pricing page puts coaching for Chinese in the paid Unlimited plan, from $19.99 a month; the free plan keeps the recordings and the curriculum.3
5. HelloChinese
A beginner course app whose lessons ask you to speak and check you with speech recognition. Best if you also want lessons.4 Is HelloChinese worth it?
How to choose
- See the difference, don’t guess it. Most learners can’t hear their own tone errors at first. A tool that draws your pitch beside a native one, or a coach who tells you, does what listening alone can’t.
- Practise words, then sentences. Tones change in context: two third tones in a row, 不 and 一 before a fourth tone. Move from single words to tone pairs to whole sentences.
- Little and often. Five minutes a day of say, compare and repeat does more than an hour once a week.
Questions
What is the best free app to practise Chinese tones?
Mandarin The Wild’s tone practice: say a real HSK word and see your pitch drawn over a native speaker’s, free in the browser with no sign-up. TonePerfect is an iPhone app that scores each syllable, free to start with a paid Pro plan.
How can I check my Chinese pronunciation online for free?
Read a sentence into Mandarin The Wild’s pronunciation checker and see which words were understood, or shadow a native narrator and compare your pitch with theirs. Both are free, with no sign-up.
Is it possible to learn Chinese tones by myself?
Yes, if you get feedback. Hear a native word, say it, and compare the two, with a pitch drawing or a coach, then practise tone pairs and whole sentences, where tones change.
Why are Chinese tones so hard?
Your ear isn’t used to treating pitch as part of a word, and tones change next to each other. Our guide to why Chinese tones are hard explains what the research says.
Sources
Checked on 26 October 2026. Prices and features change; tell us if one has.