# MandarinUp vs Nihongo Sensei

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MandarinUp at none against Nihongo Sensei's 3. Nihongo Sensei's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nihongo Sensei sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $17.99 per year. MandarinUp asks for nothing beyond the download.

MandarinUp ships an update every 4 weeks, Nihongo Sensei every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MandarinUp | Nihongo Sensei |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandarinup/id6450726094/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 0 MB | 453 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mykhailo Osekretov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1601035195) | [Paul Roberto Campos Gil](https://appshunter.io/developer/6789333987) |

## What reviewers say

### MandarinUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mandarinup/id6450726094)

Learn Chinese through daily typing practice, leveraging modern technology to avoid memorizing complex characters. This app offers a flexible way to study anytime, anywhere, even offline, fitting into a busy schedule.

**Highlights:** Learn Chinese by typing, Avoid character memorization, Practice anytime, anywhere, Fully functional offline, Modern technology approach

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Nihongo Sensei

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-sensei-minna/id6789333985)

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Dojo | $17.99 | per year |
| Dojo trial · 5 days | Free | one-time |
| Lifetime Dojo | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MandarinUp free?

MandarinUp is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Nihongo Sensei free?

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

### Do MandarinUp or Nihongo Sensei have ads?

Neither MandarinUp nor Nihongo Sensei shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MandarinUp or Nihongo Sensei?

MandarinUp ships an update every 4 weeks, and Nihongo Sensei every 4 days. Most recently, MandarinUp was updated on October 15, 2026 and Nihongo Sensei 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.*