# Mandaboo vs Master Chinese

The clearest difference is ads: Master Chinese at none against Mandaboo's shown. Mandaboo's advantage is ratings volume (6 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mandaboo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Master Chinese sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Mandaboo against 5.0 for Master Chinese. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mandaboo has 6 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mandaboo | Master Chinese |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandaboo/id1497451781/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/master-chinese-words/id1554612748/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 91 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mandarin Monkey Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605628203) | [Megabyte Software Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143972928) |

## What reviewers say

### Mandaboo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandaboo/id1497451781)

A fun, improv-style game designed to improve Mandarin speaking and listening skills. Players guess Mandarin words by following clues, avoiding specific taboo words to enhance comprehension and vocabulary. Play solo or with friends for an engaging learning experience.

**Highlights:** Guess Mandarin words with clues, Avoid taboo words, Improve listening comprehension, Enhance speaking skills, Play solo or with friends, Create custom word lists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Six Month Subscription | $54.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |


### Master Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/master-chinese-words/id1554612748)

Prepare for HSK Chinese proficiency exams with this app. It offers quizzes and flashcards to master thousands of vocabulary words across HSK levels 1-6. Track your progress and focus on challenging terms for effective learning.

**Highlights:** Master 5000 HSK 1-6 words, Learn via quizzes and flashcards, Progress tracking and feedback, Automatic saving of difficult words, Simplified characters, pinyin, and English definitions, Mandarin pronunciation with audio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Learners (levels 1,2,3) | $5.99 | one-time |
| Advanced (levels 4,5,6) | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mandaboo free?

Mandaboo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Master Chinese free?

Master Chinese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Mandaboo or Master Chinese?

Mandaboo and Master Chinese are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Mandaboo or Master Chinese have ads?

Mandaboo shows ads; Master Chinese does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mandaboo or Master Chinese?

Mandaboo ships an update weekly, and Master Chinese weekly. Most recently, Mandaboo was updated on November 3, 2026 and Master Chinese on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*