Mandaboo vs Mandarin9
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Mandaboo
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.
- Guess Mandarin words with clues
- Avoid taboo words
- Improve listening comprehension
- Enhance speaking skills
- Play solo or with friends
- Create custom word lists
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Start playing Mandaboo today—a game of unspeakable Mandarin fun. Follow clues to guess the Mandarin word in this Mandarin game of improv, learning and laughs. Some clues are taboo to challenge your Mandarin listening comprehension and get your mind’s gears turning in Mandarin to guess the word in question. WHAT’S A MANDABOO? It’s a guessing challenge where the speaker gives you clues but they are not allowed to say certain taboo words to keep you guessing longer. You’ll hang on every clue until you make a Mandarin breakthrough…or bust! Will you be stumped? Only one way to know! ARE YOU UP FOR THE GUESSING CHALLENGE? Play on your own with the built-in Mandaboos or play with friends by creating your own Mandaboos for friends to guess, or try your guessing prowess with your friends’ Mandaboos and keep the learning going. Terms Of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Mandarin9
Master Chinese through engaging sitcoms and cultural insights. Interactive lessons combine vocabulary, writing, and speaking practice with rewards and progress tracking. Learn anytime, anywhere, with methods backed by language science.
- Original Chinese sitcoms for learning
- Bite-sized cultural articles
- Interactive vocabulary, writing, and speaking practice
- Progress tracking and rewards
- Flexible learning sessions
- Language science-backed methods
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Learn Chinese the Way It’s Meant to Be Learned: Immersive, Fun, and Unforgettable! Original Chinese Sitcoms: Watch and learn with four seasons of hilarious, heartwarming Chinese drama created specifically for learners. Pick up natural dialogues, slang, and pronunciation while following relatable characters! Culture Made Cool: Get bite-sized articles on everything from ancient traditions to TikTok trends in China. Ever wondered about the story behind the Mid-Autumn Festival or how to slang like a Beijing local? We’ve got you covered. Learn Smarter: Our interactive Chinese learning lessons blend vocabulary, writing, and speaking practice with *context* from the sitcoms and culture tips. Track progress, earn rewards, and level up faster with methods backed by language science. Why Us? - Laugh & Learn: Retention soars when you’re entertained. - Culture + Language: Understand Why Chinese works, not just How. - Flexible Learning: 5 minutes or 50 – study anytime, anywhere. Ready to stop memorizing and start *experiencing* Chinese? Join thousands of learners already addicted to their daily dose of Mandarin magic! Download Now – Your Seat in the (Virtual) Classroom Awaits! TERMS AND CONDITIONS: https:www.mandarin9.com/terms-and-conditions PRIVACY POLICY: https://www.mandarin9.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Mandarin9 at none against Mandaboo's shown. Mandaboo's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.1). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Mandaboo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Mandarin9 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. 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 Mandarin9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Mandaboo | Mandarin9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (6 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 91 MB | 867 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Mandarin Monkey Ltd | Mandrin9 |
Customer experience
Mandaboo
Mandarin9
In-app purchases
Mandaboo
- Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Six Month Subscription3 Days trial$54.996 Months
- Annual Subscription$99.991 Year
Mandarin9
- Monthly Subscription$5.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Family Sharing Subscription$79.991 Year
