# MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer vs Mental Abacus

The clearest difference is price: MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer at Free against Mental Abacus's $8.99. MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Mental Abacus's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 2.0) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.4). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer is free to download; Mental Abacus costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Mental Abacus holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 7 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer's written reviews are positive against 67% of Mental Abacus's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer ships an update every 21 months, Mental Abacus every 12 months. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer | Mental Abacus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [2.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindcalc-arithmetic-trainer/id306974064/reviews) | **[3.9 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-abacus/id489127101/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 12 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 4 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peter Schorn](https://appshunter.io/developer/291182088) | [Hamster Force Multimedia Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/443416476) |

## What reviewers say

### MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mindcalc-arithmetic-trainer/id306974064)

Sharpen your mental math skills by solving equations where you must select two numbers to match a given result and operator. Earn points for speed, but beware of mistakes that reset your progress. Challenge a friend to a duel of arithmetic prowess.

**Highlights:** Equation solving with number selection, Speed-based scoring, Mistake penalty, High difficulty mode, Two-player competitive mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mental Abacus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mental-abacus/id489127101)

Master abacus mental arithmetic with illustrated tutorials and a step-by-step demonstrator. Practice calculations on a virtual abacus and learn the two-hands fingering method to enhance right brain functions. Ideal for self-learning addition and subtraction.

**Highlights:** Illustrated tutorials, Step-by-step demonstrator, Virtual abacus practice, Two hands fingering method, Addition and subtraction, Rapid calculation exercises

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer free?

MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mental Abacus free?

Mental Abacus costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer or Mental Abacus?

Mental Abacus is rated higher. MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer averages 2.0 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Mental Abacus averages 3.9 from 7 ratings.

### Do MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer or Mental Abacus have ads?

Neither MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer nor Mental Abacus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer or Mental Abacus?

MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer ships an update every 21 months, and Mental Abacus every 12 months. Most recently, MindCalc Arithmetic Trainer was updated on August 27, 2026 and Mental Abacus on June 5, 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.*