Comparison

Abacus Lesson vs PatternMinds

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

Head to head
About

Abacus Lesson

Learn addition and subtraction using a virtual abacus, also known as a Soroban. This app helps you develop mental calculation skills, enabling you to perform calculations without physical tools.

Highlights
  • Learn addition
  • Learn subtraction
  • Virtual abacus (Soroban)
  • Develop mental calculation skills
  • Perform calculations without physical tools
Features
Read full description

This is an app that you can learn addition and subtraction using an abacus. An abacus is named "Soroban" in Japan. Do you know what an abacus is? The abacus is very simple calculator used in China, Japan, Korea and so on. Some people may say "Isn't it an unnecessary tool if you have a calculator such as a smartphone?". Answer would be "No". The biggest difference between electric calculators and the abacus is whether you need to hold it in your hand when calculating. Because of its simplicity, you will be able to easily use the abacus in your mind. Imagine that you can use calculations of about 3 digits in your life without physical tools. This app will give you the skill of calculation.

About

PatternMinds

Features
Read full description

Master the art of visual logic and spatial reasoning with PatternMinds, the ultimate training ground for non-verbal reasoning puzzles. Whether preparing for school admission tests, corporate aptitude assessments, cognitive exams, or simply looking to sharpen your visual intelligence, PatternMinds offers a premium, structured learning experience on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Discover over 3,000 high-resolution vector puzzles meticulously organized across 10 difficulty stages and key cognitive categories. KEY FEATURES: • 10 GRADED PROGRESSION STAGES: Journey from Stage 1 (Foundation) to Stage 10 (Mastermind) with structured levels that advance in complexity as your skills grow. • COMPREHENSIVE REASONING CATEGORIES: Targeted practice across essential test types: Series Completion Odd One Out Analogies & Core Relations Matrix Reasoning Mirror & Water Images Embedded Figures Paper Folding & Punching • INTEGRATED VECTOR SCRATCHPAD: Draw notes, mark shapes, and trace lines directly over the puzzle page. Supports full Apple Pencil & Apple Pencil Pro gestures: Double-Tap: Instantly toggle between drawing brush and eraser. Squeeze: Cycle your stroke brush color automatically without opening a menu. • MENSA-STYLE SPATIAL IQ ASSESSMENT: Take timed Mock Exams under realistic conditions. Our scoring algorithm evaluates both your accuracy and speed to calculate an Estimated Spatial IQ score and cognitive classification. • THE "MISTAKE BOX" REVISION DECK: Never make the same mistake twice. The app automatically tracks questions you answer incorrectly and adds them to a dedicated practice deck so you can review them until mastered. • OFFLINE PROGRESS & STATISTICS: Monitor your brain metrics with offline analytics charts. Review your history, accuracy percentages, and category strengths at any time. PRIVACY & OFFLINE-FIRST: • Zero Account Registrations: Open the app and start training immediately. • 100% Private: All bookmarks, scores, and drawing canvases are stored securely and locally on your device using Apple SwiftData. No cloud uploads, no tracking.

Screenshots

Abacus Lesson3 screens
PatternMinds4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Abacus Lesson at Free against PatternMinds's $3.99. Abacus Lesson also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 17.0). PatternMinds's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On device support 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

Abacus Lesson is free to download; PatternMinds costs $3.99 up front. Abacus Lesson sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PatternMinds asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Abacus Lesson versus PatternMinds: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAbacus LessonPatternMinds
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.9 (813 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews93.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings813 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS11.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHirokazu KomatsuSukhesh Chandra Sekharan

Bugs and requests

Abacus Lesson

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Accidental app closure on iPhone during bead swiping
  • Error in lesson 3 addition summary
  • Sloppy English translation causing confusion
  • Lessons difficult to read visually

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add Chinese Abacus (Suanpan) option
  • Landscape view support
  • Level skip functionality
  • Better English translation/editing
  • Clearer problem presentation with equation format
Show 1 more
  • Improved lesson readability

PatternMinds

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Abacus Lesson

One-time3
  • Donation Lv1 for hiding Ad$1.99
  • Donation Lv2 for hiding Ad$3.99
  • Donation Lv3 for hiding Ad$8.99
None

PatternMinds

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Abacus Lesson free?
Abacus Lesson is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PatternMinds free?
PatternMinds costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Abacus Lesson or PatternMinds have ads?
Abacus Lesson shows ads; PatternMinds does not.

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