On the App Store and Google Play

Chinese stories that fit your level

175+ stories graded HSK 1 to 9, read aloud by native speakers. Tap any word for its meaning. Download a story and it works with no connection at all.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Free to downloadNo ads or notificationsiOS 15+ · Android 8+
  • The HSKStory story library on Android, filtered by HSK level
  • Tapping a Chinese word to see its pinyin, definition, and HSK level
  • A chapter playing with word-by-word highlighting synced to the narration
  • Spaced-repetition flashcards built from saved vocabulary
  • The HSK word-of-the-day widget on an iPhone home screen

What the app adds

Everything on hskstory.com is in the app. These four things only the app can do.

No connection needed

The story comes with you

Download a story and its narration to the phone. On a plane, in the subway, or on hotel wifi that barely works, the chapter and the audio are already there.

Screen off

Listening keeps going

Lock the phone or switch apps and the narration continues, with play, pause, and skip on the lock screen and from your headphones.

Home screen

A word on your home screen

The widget shows one HSK word a day on your home screen. You see a character in passing, without opening anything.

Already signed in

The same account, everywhere

Reading progress, saved words, flashcard reviews, and all 16 reader settings sync with the website. Start a chapter on your laptop, finish it on the bus.

It will never nag you

No ads, no streaks, no badges, and no push notifications. The app opens to the story you were reading and gets out of the way.

On iPhone

The iOS app is on the App Store, with the same stories, offline downloads, and background audio.

Common questions

Is the HSKStory app free?
Yes, it is free to download. The first story opens without an account, and a free account unlocks three stories. A subscription unlocks all 175+ stories at $7/month, $60/year, or $149 for lifetime access.
Is there an HSKStory app for iPhone?
Yes. The HSKStory app is on the App Store for iPhone and iPad, with the same stories, offline downloads, and background audio as the Android app.
Does the app work offline?
Yes, on both iOS and Android. Downloaded stories keep their text, pinyin, dictionary, and audio narration on the device, so you can read and listen with no connection.
Does my subscription work on both the app and the website?
Yes. One subscription covers every device. Progress, saved words, and flashcard reviews sync automatically with a free account.
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Or start reading right now at hskstory.com, or see everything the Reader does.