Comparison

Abacus vs Scribu

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

Head to head
About

Abacus

Features
Read full description

Abacus: Bead Math turns four classic counting tools into a bright, hands-on way for kids to learn numbers. Slide the colorful beads and a live number appears under the frame, so children see place value, addition and subtraction come to life. FOUR ABACUS STYLES TO EXPLORE • Chinese suanpan (2+5), Japanese soroban (1+4), Ming-style abacus (1+5), and a 10-bead counting frame • Tap or slide a bead to the beam and the number updates instantly • The live readout under the frame turns bead positions into place value kids can see THREE WAYS TO PLAY • Make a number — build the target on the beads • Add — start from a number, then add on the abacus • Subtract — take away, bead by bead (never goes negative) • Three ranges as skills grow: up to 99, 999, or 9,999 MADE FOR FAMILIES • Kid mode with gentle hints and big, easy beads • 100% offline — play anywhere, no Wi-Fi needed • No ads. No in-app purchases. No accounts. No data collected. Ever. • Warm, friendly art and calm sounds • Plays in 11 languages: English, 中文, हिन्दी, Español, العربية, Français, বাংলা, Português, Bahasa Indonesia, Tiếng Việt, اردو Great for ages 4+, classrooms, and Montessori-style hands-on learning. Part of the Math Duel family of kid-friendly, offline learning games.

About

Scribu

Features
Read full description

Scribu is the magic notebook where kids aged 3 to 7 learn to write through play: letters, numbers, first words and simple math, with a narrator voice guiding every step and four mascots cheering along. LEARN TO TRACE • Start from the pink circle and follow the arrows: an animated hand shows each stroke • Alphabet letters, numbers and illustrated words • Stars and confetti celebrate every finished trace COUNT AND SOLVE • Add, subtract and multiply with objects to count • Tap the right answer, then trace the number TIME CHALLENGE • How many letters can you trace in 60 seconds? • Personal bests for letters, numbers and mixed rounds MADE FOR KIDS • A narrator voice in every language: no reading needed to get started • A level map with chests, gifts and stars to collect • Four buddies to choose from: Andy, July, Lelia and Klaus • A parents' corner for profile, music and progress reset 13 LANGUAGES English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Albanian, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, Bengali, Chinese and Japanese — with native alphabets: kids trace Russian and Arabic letters, Chinese and Japanese characters. WORRY-FREE • No ads, no in-app purchases • Works offline, no sign-up • Progress stays on the device Download Scribu and turn first strokes into an adventure!

Screenshots

Abacus4 screens
Scribu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Scribu at every 2 days against Abacus's every 3 weeks. 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

Abacus ships an update every 3 weeks, Scribu every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Abacus versus Scribu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAbacusScribu
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPhuc HuynhAndi Arapi

In-app purchases

None

Abacus

No in-app purchases

None

Scribu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Abacus free?
Abacus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Scribu free?
Scribu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Abacus or Scribu have ads?
Neither Abacus nor Scribu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Abacus or Scribu?
Abacus ships an update every 3 weeks, and Scribu every 2 days. Most recently, Abacus was updated on September 22, 2026 and Scribu on September 23, 2026.

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