# MDS Phonics vs Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

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.

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

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

## The numbers

| Metric | MDS Phonics | Stringboard Chinese Keyboard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | — | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 354 MB | 238 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Maykon Marcidelli](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506735720) | [Stringboard Technologies Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1857589830) |

## What reviewers say

### MDS Phonics

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mds-phonics/id1506735721)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Stringboard Chinese Keyboard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stringboard-chinese-keyboard/id6476067037)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


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