# LinguaMate vs Mandaboo

The clearest difference is price: Mandaboo at Free against LinguaMate's $1.99. Mandaboo also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 56%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.3). LinguaMate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Mandaboo is free to download; LinguaMate costs $1.99 up front. Mandaboo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. LinguaMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mandaboo holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 56% of LinguaMate's written reviews are positive against 100% of Mandaboo's.

LinguaMate ships an update every 3 months, Mandaboo weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LinguaMate | Mandaboo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linguamate/id605409730/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandaboo/id1497451781/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 56.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 3 MB | 91 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Tatsuya Nakao](https://appshunter.io/developer/480524539) | [Mandarin Monkey Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1605628203) |

## What reviewers say

### LinguaMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/linguamate/id605409730)

Enhance language listening and speaking skills with this audio player. It offers features like variable playback speed, chapter markers, and interval insertion for focused practice.

**Highlights:** Variable playback speed, Virtual chapter points, Repeat functionality, Background playback, Configurable seek time, Interval insertion

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Mandaboo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandaboo/id1497451781)

A fun, improv-style game designed to improve Mandarin speaking and listening skills. Players guess Mandarin words by following clues, avoiding specific taboo words to enhance comprehension and vocabulary. Play solo or with friends for an engaging learning experience.

**Highlights:** Guess Mandarin words with clues, Avoid taboo words, Improve listening comprehension, Enhance speaking skills, Play solo or with friends, Create custom word lists

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Six Month Subscription | $54.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual Subscription | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LinguaMate free?

LinguaMate costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Mandaboo free?

Mandaboo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, LinguaMate or Mandaboo?

Mandaboo is rated higher. LinguaMate averages 4.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Mandaboo averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do LinguaMate or Mandaboo have ads?

Mandaboo shows ads; LinguaMate does not.

### Which is updated more often, LinguaMate or Mandaboo?

LinguaMate ships an update every 3 months, and Mandaboo weekly. Most recently, LinguaMate was updated on October 23, 2026 and Mandaboo on October 24, 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.*