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2027 is the first full year in which every HSK exam is HSK 3.0. Many apps and decks still sort words into the old six levels. So this guide picks apps by level: what helps at HSK 2 is not what helps at HSK 6.
We build Gushi, so read our entry with that in mind. If you want every app side by side, read the 7 best apps for HSK 3.0 in 2026.
Five things an HSK 3.0 app must do in 2027
- All nine levels. The HSK 3.0 lists, not the old HSK 2.0 ones. Ask about levels 7 to 9 too.
- Reading and writing apart. You read 3,088 characters but write only 1,200. An app that makes you write all of them costs you months.
- More than cards. The exam tests listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation.
- Grammar by level. HSK 3.0 has a grammar syllabus for the first time.
- Reviews at the right moment. Spaced repetition brings each word back just before you would forget it.
How many new words a day for 2027
Start from zero on 1 January 2027 and want a level by 31 December? This is how many new words a day it takes, rounded up. The totals come from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus.
| Level | Words in total | New words a day | Characters to read |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSK 1 | 300 | 1 | 246 |
| HSK 2 | 500 | 2 | 371 |
| HSK 3 | 1,000 | 3 | 655 |
| HSK 4 | 2,000 | 6 | 1,096 |
| HSK 5 | 3,600 | 10 | 1,527 |
| HSK 6 | 5,400 | 15 | 1,940 |
| HSK 7 to 9 | 11,000 | 31 | 3,088 |
Already know some words? Take them off the total and divide by the days you have left. Every new word also comes back for reviews, so a real day takes longer than the number suggests. Exam dates for 2027 are set by Chinese Testing International: check them on chinesetest.cn before you plan.
HSK 1 to 3: your first year
At the start everything is new: the sounds, the tones, the first characters. A friendly course helps in the first weeks, and a dictionary helps from day one.
- Gushi for the 1,000 words and 655 characters of HSK 1 to 3, each character as a short story from its parts.
- Pleco for every word you meet outside the app.
- HelloChinese if you want games and speech practice in your first weeks.
Skip Duolingo if the exam is your goal: its Chinese course is not sorted by HSK level.
HSK 4 to 6: the middle levels
From HSK 4 the lists grow fast: 1,000 new words for HSK 4 alone, 1,800 for HSK 6. This is where many learners stop, because the beginner apps run out.
- Gushi for the 4,400 new words of HSK 4 to 6, and mock exams in the official format.
- Du Chinese for a short graded text every day.
- Pleco stays your dictionary.
- Skritter if you need handwriting: 700 characters to write by HSK 6.
HSK 7 to 9: the advanced band
Levels 7, 8 and 9 are one exam with one shared list: 5,600 more words, 3,088 characters to read and 1,200 to write. Few apps go this far.
- Gushi covers the whole band, with the same stories and reviews as at HSK 1.
- Real texts: news, novels, podcasts. At this level no app replaces them.
- Pleco for every word you do not know yet.
- Anki if you want to keep your own cards for words from your reading.
01Gushi Our appBest for the whole HSK 3.0
Gushi turns every character into a short story built from its real parts. 好 is a woman 女 with her child 子. Then FSRS, the same spaced repetition method Anki uses, brings each card back just before you would forget it. All 11,000 words, 3,088 characters and the grammar points are in the app, sorted by level. There is reading, listening, shadowing for speaking, tracing for writing, and mock exams level by level. If you learn in a class, Gushi follows ten common textbooks lesson by lesson.
Where it stopsNo live tutor and no conversation partner. Android is coming but not out yet; on other devices you learn in the browser.
CostOne month free, then a subscription. See the app.
02PlecoBest dictionary
Fast, offline, and you can draw a character you cannot type. Every learner needs one, at every level.
Where it stopsIt is a dictionary first. There is no course that takes you through a level.
CostThe dictionary is free, add-ons are paid.
03Du ChineseBest for reading
Short texts sorted by level, with audio and a tap for every word. The best way to use what you learned.
Where it stopsReading comes first. You can review the words you save, but nothing teaches you the characters of a level.
CostSome texts free, a subscription for the rest.
04SkritterBest for handwriting
Skritter checks every stroke and its order, with HSK 3.0 lists for levels 1 to 3 so far. Strong if you want to write by hand.
Where it stopsHSK 3.0 asks you to write 1,200 characters, not 3,088. Use it for those, not for everything.
CostSubscription.
05HelloChineseBest for your first weeks
A friendly course with games and speech practice. Its newer course follows HSK 3.0 for levels 1 and 2.
Where it stopsUnder HSK 3.0 the course stops after level 2.
CostFree start, subscription.
06AnkiBest if you build your own cards
Free on computer and Android, and it does exactly what you tell it.
Where it stopsYou build and fix the decks yourself, and many shared decks still follow HSK 2.0, though HSK 3.0 decks exist too.
CostFree on computer and Android, a one-time purchase on iPhone.
07DuolingoBest for a daily habit
The streak and the leagues make a habit easy.
Where it stopsThe course is not sorted by HSK level. Good as a start, not as exam preparation.
CostFree, with an optional subscription.
What to skip in 2027
Any app or deck that still sorts words into six HSK levels. It still works, but its lists no longer match the exam: HSK 1 now asks for 300 words, not 150. Before you pay, look for “HSK 3.0” and “nine levels” on the store page.
Not sure what changed? Read HSK 3.0 vs HSK 2.0. Want the method behind the stories? Read how to remember Chinese characters.
How we chose
We asked every app the five questions at the top of this page. We read each app's store page and used each one ourselves in November 2026. Every number about the exam comes from the official HSK 3.0 syllabus, published in November 2025 by Chinese Testing International. We build Gushi, and we wrote its entry by the same rule as the others: what it does well, then where it stops.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app for HSK 3.0 in 2027?
For the characters, words and grammar of all nine levels, Gushi. Add Pleco as your dictionary, and Du Chinese once you can read short texts.
Do HSK 2.0 apps still work in 2027?
They still open, but their lists are old. HSK 3.0 has nine levels instead of six and about 11,000 words instead of 5,000, so an HSK 2.0 app teaches you the wrong words for your level.
How many words a day do I need for HSK 4 by the end of 2027?
From zero, 6 new words a day from 1 January gets you to the 2,000 words of HSK 4 by 31 December. The reviews come on top.
Which app covers HSK 7 to 9?
Gushi covers all nine levels, including the shared list of HSK 7 to 9. Most course apps stop at the beginner or middle levels.
Can I pass the HSK with only an app?
An app can carry the words, characters and grammar, and some listening and reading. For speaking, you also need real conversations: with a teacher, a class or a tandem partner.
Are there free HSK 3.0 word lists?
Yes. All 11,000 words and 3,088 characters are free to download as CSV and JSON, no account needed.
