Comparison · checked 21 October 2026
ReadNative vs The Chairman's Bao
The Chairman’s Bao is a news-based graded reader for Chinese, with human audio and classroom tools. ReadNative tells long stories from Chinese classics, graded from HSK 1 to HSK 5. If you want current affairs, The Chairman’s Bao is built for it; if you want narrative and cultural classics, read a ReadNative book — the two complement each other.
Side by side
| ReadNative | The Chairman's Bao | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An app of graded retellings of real stories that start at absolute beginner (A1, or HSK 1 for Chinese) and get harder chapter by chapter. | A news-based graded reader for students of Chinese. |
| Languages | 20 languages | Mandarin Chinese only |
| Platforms | Android, iOS and the web app | Web (desktop, laptop, mobile, tablet), iOS and Android |
| Content | 6 graded Chinese books retelling classics, HSK 1 to HSK 5 (plus 19 other languages). | News-based graded lessons in six levels, plus grammar explanations and stroke-order practice. |
| Help while reading | Tap a word for an English gloss (with romanization for non-Latin scripts); tap a sentence for its translation. | One-tap dictionary; keywords, idioms and proper nouns highlighted. |
| Audio | Read-along narration on every Chinese book. | Graded, human-spoken audio. |
| Vocabulary and review | Automatic known-word count (a word is “known” after 3+ encounters without a lookup); spaced-repetition review of looked-up words; Anki export on Android. | Intelligent flashcards. |
| Your own material | EPUB import of your own books, translated chapter by chapter (Pro). | — |
| Price model | The first book in every language is free. ReadNative Pro unlocks the other books and imports. | Free sample lessons; paid premium plans (and quotes for schools). |
Where The Chairman's Bao is stronger
- Current-affairs reading: lessons are written from real news.
- Human-recorded audio across graded levels.
- Built for schools as well as self-learners.
Where ReadNative is different
Stories, not news
News is great for topical vocabulary but has its own register. ReadNative’s Chinese books are continuous narratives — the Monkey King, Afanti, the White Snake — where characters and words recur across dozens of chapters.
An HSK ladder
Six books labelled by HSK level, from Journey to the West (HSK 1→3, free) to Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (HSK 4→5), all narrated.
Twenty languages in one app
The same reader works for 19 other languages if you learn more than one.
Which should you choose?
Choose The Chairman's Bao if:
- You want to read about current events in Chinese.
- You are a teacher or school and need curriculum alignment or classroom integration.
- You want stroke-order practice next to reading.
Choose ReadNative if:
- You prefer stories to news.
- You want a clear HSK ladder of whole books.
- You want to start free at HSK 1.
Using both
Read a ReadNative chapter for narrative and recurring vocabulary, then a Chairman’s Bao lesson at a similar level for current-affairs words. News and stories use different registers, so doing both gives you a broader base than either alone.
Compare more: best apps to learn Mandarin Chinese by reading · HSK 1 reading · best Chinese graded readers.
Questions
What is the difference between ReadNative and The Chairman's Bao?
The Chairman’s Bao is a news-based graded reader for Chinese, with human audio and classroom tools. ReadNative tells long stories from Chinese classics, graded from HSK 1 to HSK 5. If you want current affairs, The Chairman’s Bao is built for it; if you want narrative and cultural classics, read a ReadNative book — the two complement each other.
Is The Chairman’s Bao good for beginners?
Its lessons start at Level 1 of six. News language gets dense quickly, so beginners often pair it with simpler stories.
Do both have audio?
Yes: The Chairman’s Bao has human-spoken audio on its graded lessons, and all six ReadNative Chinese books are narrated.
Is ReadNative free?
The first book in every language is free, with no card. ReadNative Pro unlocks the other books and EPUB imports.
Sources
Every statement about another app on this page comes from that app’s own website, checked on 21 October 2026. Features and plans change; check their sites for the latest.
- The Chairman's Bao: thechairmansbao.com
ReadNative facts: about ReadNative and the book catalog. We make ReadNative.