Comparison

MDS Phonics vs Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

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

Head to head
About

MDS Phonics

Features
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Are you parenting a young English learner? Have you tried phonics? We all know that little kids usually get bored when it comes to studying a foreign language. Have you thought of giving up? Yeah, it IS tough! What many people don’t know is that learning phonics provides a solid foundation for your kids to keep learning English. The question is β€œHow to grab their attention?” Like you, we as parents have struggled to make our kids and students learn phonics effectively. You are all too familiar with the frustration and difficulty of this task. The best way that we have found to tackle this problem is by playing simple, fun and engaging games. In addition, we have put together a set of textbooks, workbooks and cards within this app to reinforce the many different ways of learning English. We passionately designed this with the textbook and workbook audio tracks inside the app so that students can study and play all in one place. All the games are directly connected to the 28 units from the textbooks, which can be used in a 41 lesson yearly program. Everything you could want and need in the convenience of one place. We hope from the bottom of our hearts that your kids can enjoy and want to learn English more and more! It doesn’t have to hard anymore, but fun.

About

Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

Features
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WORRIED YOUR CHILD'S CHINESE IS SLIPPING? Stringboard turns Chinese writing practice into something they actually want to do. Start with a free 7-day challenge. One short mission a day, no pinyin needed. A GAME, NOT ANOTHER WORKSHEET Each daily mission teaches 3-4 characters through a walkthrough, then a game where they shoot down falling characters by typing the correct stroke order. Just 10 minutes a day makes all the difference. NO PINYIN. NO MEMORIZATION. Stringboard's stroke-and-radical keyboard works the way kids already learn to write. If they can write it, they can type it. Even 4-year-olds pick it up in minutes. TYPING IS WRITING PRACTICE Every character is typed by selecting the right strokes and radicals in the right order, the same skill they need on paper. Real handwriting reinforcement is built into every tap. BUILT FOR BUSY FAMILIES No extra tutors, no printing worksheets, no scheduling around an already-packed week. Just open the app after dinner or on the MTR home. CANTONESE, MANDARIN, OR BOTH Toggle between Traditional, Simplified, and Cantonese characters with one tap. Whether your child speaks Cantonese at home, Mandarin at school, or both, we’re here to support you. REAL-TIME FEEDBACK = INDEPENDENT PRACTICE Live stroke and radical hints mean your child can practice on their own. You're not coaching homework at 10pm anymore. FREE TO START The 7-day challenge is free forever, no card required. When they're ready for more, one subscription unlocks every lesson pack: the full Hong Kong P1–P6 Chinese curriculum, with unlimited practice. The Stringboard keyboard works across every app on their phone, and stays free for life. Loving Stringboard? A quick review helps other families find us! Need help? hello@stringboard.tech Video tutorial: https://youtu.be/zTGRsduVyoM Threads: @stringboardhk Instagram: @stringboardhk Privacy: stringboard.tech/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

MDS Phonics4 screens
Stringboard Chinese Keyboard4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Stringboard Chinese Keyboard at every 2 weeks against MDS Phonics's every 3 months. MDS Phonics's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MDS Phonics ships an update every 3 months, Stringboard Chinese Keyboard every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
MDS Phonics versus Stringboard Chinese Keyboard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMDS PhonicsStringboard Chinese Keyboard
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks β€” better
Adsβ€”Yes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 β€” better15.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size354 MB238 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMaykon MarcidelliStringboard Technologies Ltd

In-app purchases

None

MDS Phonics

No in-app purchases

None

Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MDS Phonics free?
MDS Phonics is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stringboard Chinese Keyboard free?
Stringboard Chinese Keyboard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which is updated more often, MDS Phonics or Stringboard Chinese Keyboard?
MDS Phonics ships an update every 3 months, and Stringboard Chinese Keyboard every 2 weeks. Most recently, MDS Phonics was updated on October 25, 2026 and Stringboard Chinese Keyboard on October 25, 2026.

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