Comparison

Modern Chinese Textbook vs Mental Math Ninja

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Modern Chinese Textbook

This app offers a story-based approach to learning beginner Chinese, following the lives of diverse college students. It focuses on practical vocabulary and real-life conversations, with interactive exercises for listening, reading, writing, and speaking.

Highlights
  • Story-based learning modules
  • Practical vocabulary for real conversations
  • Interactive listening and reading practice
  • Writing and speaking exercises
  • Progress measurement based on ability
  • Covers Pinyin, grammar, and cultural context
Features
Read full description

Modern Chinese is a beginner Chinese language textbook designed for college students and adult learners with no previous exposure to Chinese. This unique program adopts a story-based approach that follows the lives of six college students whose multi-cultural backgrounds reflect today's globalized world. The themes are designed to provide students with the vocabulary and context to engage and communicate in real life conversations quickly. This is the iPad version of Modern Chinese, which leads the way to create the most innovative and holistic Chinese learning experience. It focuses on instructional delivery, paired-learning, and self-practice, creating the best language learning experience by offering ample opportunities to practice listening and reading, and encouraging students to write and speak. The iPad application measures students' progress by what they can do in the Chinese language rather than how many vocabulary words they know. MODERN CHINESE现代中文: PRELUDE: Introduction to Pinyin and Practices 1A: Unit 1 : Me 我 Lesson 1: Meeting People 你好! Lesson 2: Age and Nationality 你多大?你是哪国人? Unit 2 : Family 家 Lesson 1: Family and Pets家人和宠物 Lesson 2: Job and Language 工作和语言 Unit 3 : Time 时 Lesson 1: Days of the Week and Time 星期几? Lesson 2: Happy Birthday! 生日快乐! Unit 4 : Food 吃 Lesson 1: Ordering Food 点菜 Lesson 2: How Does it Taste? 味道怎么样? Unit 5 : Daily Lives 住 Lesson 1: Campus Life 校园生活 Lesson 2: Where is it? 在哪里? Unit 6 : Shopping 买 Lesson 1: Shopping 买东西 Lesson 2: Cash or Credit Card? 付现金还是刷卡? Unit 7 : Travel 行 Lesson 1: Travel Plans 放假的计划 Lesson 2: To the Airport 去机场 Unit 8 : Academics 学 Lesson 1: Taking Classes 选课 Lesson 2: In Class上课的时候 1B: Unit 9 衣 Fashion Lesson 1: 买衣服 Shopping for Clothes Lesson 2: 你喜欢什么颜色?What Colors Do You Like? Unit 10 娱 Hobbies & Activities Lesson 1: 星期六的活动 Plans for Saturday Lesson 2: 在音乐会 At a Concert Unit 11 情 Relationships & People Lesson 1: 约会 A Date Lesson 2: 分手 A Breakup Unit 12 医 Medicine Lesson 1: 生病了 Getting Sick Lesson 2: 看病 At the Doctor’s Unit 13 商 Business Lesson 1: 打工 Part-Time Job Lesson 2: 去中国实习 Internship in China Unit 14 节 Festivals Lesson 1: 新年快乐!Happy Chinese New Year! Lesson 2: 中国和西方节日 Chinese and Western Holidays Unit 15 礼 Chinese Ways Lesson 1: 有礼貌 Being Respectful Lesson 2: 了解中国文化 Understanding Chinese Culture Unit 16 @ Technology & Modern China Lesson 1: 线上聊天 Chatting Online Lesson 2: 一路顺风! Have a Safe Trip! 2A: Unit 1 天 Weather Lesson 1: 天气 Weather Lesson 2: 旅游和气候 Travel and Climate Unit 2 学 Academics Lesson 1: 申请留学 Applying to Study Abroad Lesson 2: 加入社团 Joining a Student Club Unit 3 住 Housing Lesson 1: 住校与租房 Living On-Campus vs. Off-Campus Lesson 2: 找公寓 Apartment Hunting Unit 4 买 Shopping Lesson 1: 网上购物 Shopping Online Lesson 2: 退货 Returning Merchandise Unit 5 娱 Hobbies Lesson 1: 篮球比赛 At a Basketball Game Lesson 2: 采访 An Interview Unit 6 食 Cuisine Lesson 1: 学做中国菜 Learning Chinese Cooking Lesson 2: 逛超市 Going to the Supermarket Unit 7 祸 Emergencies Lesson 1: 交通意外 A Traffic Accident Lesson 2: 自然灾难 Natural Disasters Unit 8 行 Travel Lesson 1: 在机场 At the Airport Lesson 2: 中国游 Traveling in China 2B: Unit 9 艺 Arts Lesson 1: 花木兰 Hua Mulan Lesson 2: 民间艺术 Folk Arts Unit 10 @ Technology & Modern China Lesson 1: 科技发展 Developments in Science and Technology Lesson 2: 新能源车 New Energy Cars Unit 11 商 Business Lesson 1: 开账户 Opening a Bank Account Lesson 2: 投资与理财 Investing and Financial Management Unit 12 健 Health Lesson 1: 健康生活习惯 Habits for a Healthy Lifestyle Lesson 2: 健身与饮食 Exercise and Diet Unit 13 史 History Lesson 1: 秦始皇 Emperor Qin Shihuang Lesson 2: 逛孔庙 Going to the Confucian Temple Unit 14 绿 Environment Lesson 1: 旧货市场 Flea Market Lesson 2: 绿色校园 A Green Campus Unit 15 社 Society Lesson 1: 募捐活动 Fund-raising Event Lesson 2: 山区支教 Bringing Education to the Mountains Unit 16 梦 Dreams Lesson 1: 职业理想 Ideal Profession Lesson 2: 美梦成真 Dreams Come True

About

Mental Math Ninja

Features
Read full description

Earn Ninja Belts by practicing Mental Math. Solve math sums while enjoying the thrill of playing an arcade game. Earn the highest honor of winning the black belt by solving increasingly complex sums at a faster pace. Mental Math Ninja is an engaging way of building your Mental Math skills which are essential to succeed in Exam Prep like SAT. Practice mental Math a few minutes daily to improve your Math Speed.

Screenshots

Mental Math Ninja4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Mental Math Ninja at every 2 weeks against Modern Chinese Textbook's every 2 months. Mental Math Ninja also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Modern Chinese Textbook sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Mental Math Ninja sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Modern Chinese Textbook ships an update every 2 months, Mental Math Ninja every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Modern Chinese Textbook versus Mental Math Ninja: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterModern Chinese TextbookMental Math Ninja
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBetter Chinese, Inc.Sphulling Technologies

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Modern Chinese Textbook

One-time4
  • Modern Chinese 1A Textbook$9.99
  • Modern Chinese 1B Textbook$9.99
  • Modern Chinese 2A Textbook$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Modern Chinese 2B Textbook$9.99
1 purchases

Mental Math Ninja

One-time1
  • Do More Math$0.99

Questions

Is Modern Chinese Textbook free?
Modern Chinese Textbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Mental Math Ninja free?
Mental Math Ninja is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Modern Chinese Textbook or Mental Math Ninja have ads?
Neither Modern Chinese Textbook nor Mental Math Ninja shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Modern Chinese Textbook or Mental Math Ninja?
Modern Chinese Textbook ships an update every 2 months, and Mental Math Ninja every 2 weeks. Most recently, Modern Chinese Textbook was updated on November 2, 2026 and Mental Math Ninja on November 11, 2026.

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