# ToneLeaf vs Red Bamboo Chinese

The clearest difference is update cadence: Red Bamboo Chinese at fortnightly against ToneLeaf's monthly. Red Bamboo Chinese also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ToneLeaf sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Red Bamboo Chinese sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ToneLeaf ships an update monthly, Red Bamboo Chinese fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ToneLeaf | Red Bamboo Chinese |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-bamboo-chinese/id6784808654/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 635 MB | 27 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gregory Bell](https://appshunter.io/developer/1436446484) | [Red Bamboo Chinese, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6784808656) |

## What reviewers say

### ToneLeaf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toneleaf/id6767617539)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ToneLeaf Pro | $9.99 | one-time |


### Red Bamboo Chinese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/red-bamboo-chinese/id6784808654)

This app provides real-time AI analysis of your Mandarin pronunciation, focusing on tones. It offers instant feedback on syllable pitch contours to help learners master correct pronunciation from the start. Practice over 300 pinyin syllables across all five tones.

**Highlights:** Real-time AI tone analysis, Instant pass/fail feedback, 300+ pinyin syllables, Streak tracking, Distraction-free interface, Free practice attempts, 7-day free trial

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $4.99 | per month |
| Annual Plan | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ToneLeaf free?

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

### Is Red Bamboo Chinese free?

Red Bamboo Chinese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do ToneLeaf or Red Bamboo Chinese have ads?

Neither ToneLeaf nor Red Bamboo Chinese shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ToneLeaf or Red Bamboo Chinese?

ToneLeaf ships an update monthly, and Red Bamboo Chinese fortnightly. Most recently, ToneLeaf was updated on November 5, 2026 and Red Bamboo Chinese on October 31, 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.*