What it does
The dictionary app every China traveler needs. Camera-based OCR, offline mode, handwriting input. Free tier is enough for most.
How to set it up
- Download Pleco from the official site.
- Create an account with your foreign phone number or email.
- Link a payment method (Visa/Mastercard usually works).
- You're ready to use it in China.
Pros
- Verified working as of our last test
- Accepts international payment methods
- English-language interface
Cons
- May require a VPN for initial setup outside China
- Some features are China-only
Pleco is the de facto Chinese dictionary app. It started as a dictionary and grew into a full translation toolkit: camera OCR (point at a menu), handwriting (draw a character), audio pronunciation, and example sentences.
Pros
- Offline mode works
- OCR translates any printed Chinese in 1 second
- Free version is genuinely useful
- Lightweight (~50MB)
Cons
- Full feature set requires paid add-ons
- OCR struggles with cursive/handwritten Chinese
- Voice translation is weaker than Google Translate
When to use
- Reading a menu → camera OCR
- Asking a taxi driver to take you somewhere → show the typed characters
- Looking up a word you heard → handwriting
FAQ
-
Is Pleco free?
Yes, the core features are free. -
Do I need a Chinese phone number?
No — but it helps for verification.