# Mandaboo vs Hanyu Wave

The clearest difference is rating: Mandaboo at 5.0 against Hanyu Wave's 4.0. Mandaboo also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%). Hanyu Wave's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mandaboo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Hanyu Wave sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Mandaboo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Mandaboo's written reviews are positive against 75% of Hanyu Wave's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mandaboo | Hanyu Wave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandaboo/id1497451781/reviews)** | [4.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanyu-wave/id1556400151/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **6** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 75.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 91 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mandarin Monkey Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605628203) | [Kyungil Choi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556400153) |

## 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 |


### Hanyu Wave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hanyu-wave/id1556400151)

Learn and practice Chinese vocabulary and characters with daily lessons and AI-powered quizzes. Covers all HSK levels, from beginner to advanced. Master your Chinese word knowledge anywhere, anytime.

**Highlights:** Learn words and characters daily, Practice with shuffle quizzes, AI-based quiz generation, Comprehension management, Covers all HSK levels (1-6), Offline practice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Pass | $1.99 | per month |
| Quarterly Pass | $4.49 | per 3 months |
| Yearly Pass | $14.49 | per year |
| HSK Vocabulary | $16.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mandaboo free?

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

### Is Hanyu Wave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mandaboo or Hanyu Wave?

Mandaboo is rated higher. Mandaboo averages 5.0 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Hanyu Wave averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Mandaboo or Hanyu Wave have ads?

Mandaboo shows ads; Hanyu Wave does not.

### Which is updated more often, Mandaboo or Hanyu Wave?

Mandaboo ships an update weekly, and Hanyu Wave weekly. Most recently, Mandaboo was updated on October 9, 2026 and Hanyu Wave on October 16, 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.*