Comparison

Tūrama vs Rongo

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

Head to head
About

Tūrama

Features
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Nau mai, haere mai ki te TŪRAMA Welcome to TŪRAMA, a te reo and tikanga Māori app from Te Tari Taake (Inland Revenue). TŪRAMA refers to a glimmer of light, a faint understanding; or in this case, a glimpse into the Māori world. We’ve created TŪRAMA as a tool that will help you gain confidence and assist you to learn some fundamental aspects of te reo Māori (the Māori language), tikanga (customs), mātāpono me ngā kaingākau (principles and values), karakia (prayer/incantation, spiritual observation) and waiata (songs). TŪRAMA supports our Te Arapiki programme, a stepped approach to learning te reo and tikanga Māori, about the Treaty of Waitangi and world views. You can easily access TŪRAMA wherever you are to remind you of things like mihimihi, karakia, and waiata. TŪRAMA features - Synchronised narration in te reo Māori - Tap to hear pronunciation of te reo Māori words - Record your own narration - Create your own pepeha - Print your own pepeha page - Export pages, images and audio to colleagues and friends. We wish you all the best for your learning kia kaha koutou katoa! Whakatau mai rā ki te TŪRAMA! TŪRAMA was developed by Te Tari Taake (Inland Revenue), the public service department of New Zealand charged with revenue advice and collection. This initiative supports its vision to be a world-class revenue organisation recognised for service and excellence and making a positive difference for New Zealand. For more https://www.ird.govt.nz The app was produced by world-leading Cultural Creative Agency Kiwa Digital. For more www.kiwadigital.com NEED HELP? Contact us: support@kiwadigital.com

About

Rongo

This app helps beginners practice speaking te reo Māori by focusing on pronunciation without the fear of judgment. It offers real-time feedback and guided practice through levels and phrases to build confidence and mastery of the language's sounds.

Highlights
  • Pronunciation practice
  • Real-time feedback
  • Guided learning levels
  • Phrase repetition
  • Confidence building
  • Focus on sounds
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When you start learning te reo Māori, fear of mispronunciation can be one of the greatest barriers to you actually speaking it. Rongo gives you an opportunity to practice in a private space without the pressure and fear of being judged or annoying or offending people. Rongo is best for beginner speakers of te reo Māori as a tool to support their language learning journey. Intermediate and proficient speakers might still find it useful to see if they have formed any ‘bad habits’ along the way. In the houses of learning of long ago, students would sit in the darkness while the tohunga (expert) would recite lines of genealogy that spanned many generations. The students would learn by focussing on the words, retaining that knowledge and practice by reciting it themselves. Rongo aims to recreate this experience.By stripping away the written word, you must focus on the sounds of the language and work towards reproducing them, without being influenced by what you have read and, therefore, your existing bank of sound knowledge Like the whakatauākī of the late Te Wharehuia Milroy, a champion and master of te reo Māori, “Whakahokia te reo mai i te mata o te pene, ki te mata o te arero,' (Bring the language back from the tip of the pen to the tip of the tongue). To reach this goal of speaking te reo Māori, not reading or writing, Rongo can help overcome the barrier that fear of mispronunciation can create. This can be a difficult process or method, but with patience and mindfulness you will master the sounds while also growing your confidence. You will receive real-time feedback and be prompted to repeat and practice the words and phrases to improve your pronunciation. With over 230 phrases across 24 levels, you will master basic sounds and move to more complex sound combinations. We encourage you to find a quiet, comfortable space to practice. For example, lie down on the couch with the phone resting on your chest and close your eyes. Or find that quiet spot in your garden, anywhere you feel relaxed. With Rongo, you can just focus on yourself, your learning, your journey. Mā te rongo ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka mārama, mā te mārama ka mātau, mā te mātau ka ora! Through listening comes awareness; through awareness comes understanding; through understanding comes knowledge; through knowledge comes life and well being. If you are an organisation that is interested in a customised experience and an app that uses words and phrases that are tailored to your industry, please feel free to contact us: awhina@rongo.app

Screenshots

Tūrama4 screens
Rongo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tūrama at every 2 weeks against Rongo's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tūrama ships an update every 2 weeks, Rongo every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Tūrama versus Rongo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTūramaRongo
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.6 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB90 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKiwa Digital LimitedTe Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o Te Ika

In-app purchases

None

Tūrama

No in-app purchases

None

Rongo

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tūrama free?
Tūrama is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rongo free?
Rongo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tūrama or Rongo have ads?
Neither Tūrama nor Rongo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tūrama or Rongo?
Tūrama ships an update every 2 weeks, and Rongo every 2 months. Most recently, Tūrama was updated on October 13, 2026 and Rongo on September 29, 2026.

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