Comparison

Mandaboo vs Menzi

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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/

About

Menzi

This app focuses on active language production, evaluating your sentences for comprehension and accuracy. It tracks mastery across meaning, reading, listening, and speaking, integrating grammar patterns and personalized content generation. Practice includes AI tutoring, transcription, and immersive stories.

Highlights
  • Active sentence composition evaluation
  • Four axes of word mastery (meaning, reading, listening, speaking)
  • Structured grammar pattern library
  • Personalized content generation from user vocabulary
  • AI tutor with real-time feedback
  • Speech transcription practice
  • Immersive stories with read-along playback
  • Detailed analytics on word mastery and learning rate
Features
Read full description

Learn Mandarin. Make it yours. Knowing a word is only half the job. Menzi is built for the other half: using it. Everything you learn becomes something you can use. Learn a new word, and Menzi helps you put it into sentences, recognize it in conversation, hear it, speak it, and eventually use it on your own. As you improve, your practice grows with you. A language that grows with you. Imagine learning Mandarin in a world where everything is just within reach. The stories you read, the conversations you practice, and the sentences you hear are built around the vocabulary you already know. Every new word expands what’s possible. What felt impossible yesterday becomes familiar tomorrow. More than memorization. Recognizing a word isn’t the same as knowing how to use it. Menzi develops your reading, listening, speaking, and understanding independently, so you’re always working on what needs the most attention. Practice starts with guidance and gradually gives you more freedom. Eventually, you’re creating your own sentences, with an AI tutor helping you improve. Grammar that becomes second nature. Learn grammar by using it, not just reading about it. Menzi introduces patterns through real sentences, gives you opportunities to practice them, and brings them back when you need reinforcement. Your Mandarin, your pace. Menzi brings your vocabulary, grammar, practice, and progress together into one connected learning experience. - Personalized stories with narrated, read-along audio - AI conversations and real-world role-play - Adaptive vocabulary and grammar practice - Independent progress tracking across four language skills - Speaking practice with pronunciation and tone feedback - A daily learning plan that fits your schedule - Simplified or traditional Chinese, with optional zhuyin - Anki deck imports and the full HSK 3.0 dictionary Whether you’re learning your first hundred words or working toward fluency, Menzi meets you where you are—and grows with you. Stop collecting words. Start using Mandarin. Coming soon: a guided curriculum for complete beginners. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.terrosdigital.com/privacy

Screenshots

Mandaboo3 screens
Menzi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Menzi at none against Mandaboo's shown. Menzi also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs weekly). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mandaboo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Menzi sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Mandaboo against 5.0 for Menzi. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 6 and 11 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Mandaboo ships an update weekly, Menzi every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Mandaboo versus Menzi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMandabooMenzi
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings)5.0 (11 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings611 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size91 MB71 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperMandarin Monkey LtdTerros Digital LLC

Customer experience

Mandaboo

All ratings6 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Menzi

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Mandaboo

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Subscription3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Six Month Subscription3 Days trial$54.996 Months
  • Annual Subscription$99.991 Year
2 purchases

Menzi

Subscriptions2
  • Menzi Casual7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Menzi Pro7 Days trial$19.991 Month

Questions

Is Mandaboo free?
Mandaboo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Menzi free?
Menzi is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Mandaboo or Menzi?
Mandaboo and Menzi are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6 and 11 ratings respectively.
Do Mandaboo or Menzi have ads?
Mandaboo shows ads; Menzi does not.
Which is updated more often, Mandaboo or Menzi?
Mandaboo ships an update weekly, and Menzi every 3 days. Most recently, Mandaboo was updated on October 24, 2026 and Menzi on October 24, 2026.

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