📝 Study and homework tools · 🗣️ Language learning
Youdao Dictionary
By NetEase Youdao. Visit Youdao Dictionary
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
NetEase Youdao's dictionary and translation app, widely used by Chinese students learning English. It covers 124 languages, licensed dictionaries such as Oxford and Collins, word lists, practice for China's CET-4 and CET-6 English exams, photo and voice translation, and an 'AI mode' built on Youdao's own Ziyue large language model that answers follow-up questions. The app is in Chinese. Youdao also sells scanning Dictionary Pens for children, with Chinese-only menus, on its global store.
Our take: Useful for Chinese-speaking families whose kids study English, with an adult turning off personalized ads; families without Chinese should look elsewhere.
| Ages it suits | older kids, teens and adults; App Store rating 9+ |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Under 18s should read the terms with a guardian and use the service with their consent. Children under 14 need a guardian to read and accept separate children's information rules before using it (those rules apply in mainland China). (terms) |
| Price | Free, with paid extras. Free with ads; VIP (no ads, offline dictionaries) $3.99 a month auto-renewing or $24.99 a year, Super VIP from $5.49 a month on the US App Store. Dictionary Pens $89.99 (A7S) to $199.99 (X7 Pro) on the NetEase Store (USD, Oct 2026). |
| Works on | Web, iPhone and iPad, Android |
| Account | The child's own account |
| Ads | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes |
| The AI in it | Machine translation, photo and speech recognition, and an AI assistant built on Youdao's Ziyue large language model that explains words and sentences and answers follow-up questions. |
What's good
- Large licensed dictionaries
- Photo, voice and text translation
- Free tier is usable
- Follow-up questions on hard sentences
Watch for
- Ads and cross-app tracking in the free app
- Personalized ad profiling unless switched off
- Chinese-language interface
- Pens sold abroad have Chinese-only menus
Data and privacy
The privacy policy says Youdao may build user profiles and serve personalized ads using device IDs and, if allowed, location; you can switch personalized ads off in settings. Apple's label lists identifiers used to track users across other companies' apps; the policy does not address AI training. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
The maker's own claims only (it says over 1 billion users); no independent study of the app or the pens was found.
In the Big Index
- The maker in the who's who: NetEase Youdao
Alternatives to Youdao Dictionary
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Babbel
Babbel · ages about 13+ (built for adults)
A solid choice for a motivated older teen; younger kids are not allowed and are better served by kids' apps.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Buddy.ai
Buddy.ai · ages about 3-8
Engaging speaking practice for preschoolers learning English; privacy-minded parents should skip the recording consent or delete data regularly.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Busuu
Busuu Limited (owned by Chegg, Inc.) · ages 13+
A fair choice for a teen studying a language who wants speaking practice; younger kids need a different app.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Cambly Kids
Cambly Inc. · ages about 4-15
Helpful for children learning English as a new language who need speaking practice; parents should sit in on early calls and read the recording terms.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Duolingo
Duolingo, Inc. · ages about 10+ (children under 13 get a restricted mode)
A fine free habit-builder for tweens and teens learning a language; younger kids are better served by Duolingo ABC or a kids' app.
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Google Translate Practice
Google · ages teens and adults; younger kids with a parent
Worth a try for teens learning Spanish or French who want speaking practice; younger kids and families wanting a full course should pick a dedicated app.
Where these facts come from
- https://www.youdao.com/
- https://c.youdao.com/dict/law/youdao_dict_privacy.html
- https://c.youdao.com/dict/law/youdao_dict_children.html
- https://c.youdao.com/dict/law/youdao_dict_service.html
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/youdao-dictionary/id353115739
- https://neteasestore.com/collections/youdao
- https://neteasestore.com/products/youdao-dictionary-pen-x7-pro-chinese-interface
- https://neteasestore.com/products/youdao-dictionary-pen-a7s-chinese-interface
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.