Chinese Pinyin vs MathMate
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Chinese Pinyin
Master Mandarin pronunciation with this app focused on listening and articulation. It offers native-speaker audio and video to help you distinguish and produce the four tones accurately. Learn at your own pace with offline access and detailed visual guides.
- Native-speaker audio for tones
- Mouth-shape videos for articulation
- Offline listening and learning
- Progressive tone training episodes
- Detailed pinyin chart reference
- Adjustable playback speed
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Chinese Pinyin is a pronunciation-first Mandarin app. Hear the sounds, watch how a native speaker makes them, and train your ear until the four tones stop blurring together. Version 3.0 is a complete rebuild around the two things that actually change how you sound: listening and articulation. TONES — a pinyin radio for your ears • 120 episodes of blending chains, recorded by a native speaker: initial to final to syllable to a real word (b - a - ba - baba) • Basics: one syllable, four tones back to back, so the contrast is impossible to miss • Mixed: a new syllable every chain, once your ear is ready to generalize • Zero effort to use — pick an episode, press play, lock your screen, keep listening • Every recording ships inside the app. No streaming, no data, works on a plane • Pick up exactly where you stopped, on any episode CHART — see how the sound is made • The full pinyin system: 23 initials, 24 finals, 16 whole syllables, plus syllable tables from A to Z • Native-speaker mouth-shape videos, front view and side view at the same time — tap to swap which one is large • Play at 0.5x to catch the tongue and lip position, or 2x to drill • Videos are delivered by the App Store and play from your device, not streamed HOME • Sound of the day: one sound, all four tones, playing the second you open the app • One tap back to the episode you were listening to • Shuffle for a different sound whenever you want one WHO IT IS FOR • Beginners who want a pronunciation foundation that holds up later • Self-learners who need a reliable pinyin reference on hand • Anyone whose tones are "close enough" and who wants them actually right • Heritage learners and parents looking for passive listening their kids can absorb WHY IT WORKS Perception comes before production. Research on high-variability phonetic training shows that learners who train listening alone improve how they pronounce — a contrast your ear cannot hear is a contrast your mouth cannot make. Tones builds the contrast; Chart shows you the articulation behind it. Nothing here scores you or interrupts you, because relaxed input is what you can do every day. FREE AND PREMIUM • Free: the complete initials — the initials chart with mouth-shape videos, and all 23 initial episodes in Tones. A finished chapter, not a teaser that stops mid-lesson. • Premium unlocks everything else: compound finals, nasal finals, whole syllables, the full Mixed pack, and every syllable table in Chart. • Choose a monthly or annual subscription, or a one-time lifetime unlock. • Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. • No ads. Ever. EXISTING CUSTOMERS If you bought the previous paid version, your purchase carries over. All content stays unlocked permanently, with no subscription required — tap Restore Purchases on the Subscription screen if it does not appear right away. Your account, progress and subscription transfer automatically when you update. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://nativespeak.cn/privacy-policy/mandarin-speak/privacy-policy.html
MathMate
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MathMate: Jouw Persoonlijke Wiskunde Coach! Met MathMate plan je eenvoudig bijlessen, examentrainingen, of studievaardigheden wanneer het jou uitkomt. Kies het pakket dat bij je past en krijg toegang tot op maat gemaakte ondersteuning. Of je nu klaar wil zijn voor je examens, extra wil oefenen of je studievaardigheden wilt verbeteren, MathMate biedt alles wat je nodig hebt. Flexibel en maandelijks opzegbaar. Begin vandaag en bereik je doelen met gemak!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MathMate at none against Chinese Pinyin's 3. MathMate also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months) and iOS requirement (13.4 vs 17.0). On price, ads and 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
Both are free to download. Chinese Pinyin sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. MathMate asks for nothing beyond the download.
Chinese Pinyin ships an update every 8 months, MathMate every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Chinese Pinyin | MathMate |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 13.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 559 MB | 47 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 仙田 郗 | Mohamedi Al hammouti |
In-app purchases
Chinese Pinyin
- Monthly Plan$1.991 Month
- Annual Plan$14.991 Year
- Full Pinyin Access$2.99
MathMate
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Chinese Pinyin free?
Is MathMate free?
Do Chinese Pinyin or MathMate have ads?
Which is updated more often, Chinese Pinyin or MathMate?
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