# First Mandarin vs Glotcast

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Mandarin at none against Glotcast's 2. First Mandarin also leads on ads (none vs shown). Glotcast's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Glotcast sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days. First Mandarin asks for nothing beyond the download.

First Mandarin ships an update every 7 months, Glotcast every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Mandarin | Glotcast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Size | 143 MB | 64 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EDNOVATION (SEA) PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735247195) | [Imtiyaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1820748202) |

## What reviewers say

### First Mandarin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/first-mandarin/id852286074)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Glotcast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/glotcast-learn-by-listening/id6760545721)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GlotCast Premium - Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| GlotCast Premium - Annual | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Mandarin free?

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

### Is Glotcast free?

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

### Do First Mandarin or Glotcast have ads?

Glotcast shows ads; First Mandarin does not.

### Which is updated more often, First Mandarin or Glotcast?

First Mandarin ships an update every 7 months, and Glotcast every 2 weeks. Most recently, First Mandarin was updated on October 18, 2026 and Glotcast on October 11, 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.*