# First Mandarin vs Design Thinking

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Mandarin at none against Design Thinking's 1. Design Thinking's advantage is iOS requirement (6.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Design Thinking sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. First Mandarin asks for nothing beyond the download.

First Mandarin ships an update every 7 months, Design Thinking every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | First Mandarin | Design Thinking |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[3.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-thinking/id901382557/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 5 months** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 143 MB | 132 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **6.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [EDNOVATION (SEA) PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1735247195) | [PURPLEFISH LAB LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/901378538) |

## 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


### Design Thinking

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/design-thinking/id901382557)

This app provides a structured approach to the design thinking process, guiding users through understanding user needs, generating ideas, prototyping, and testing. It serves as a tool for designers to enhance their brainstorming sessions and refine their creative thinking.

**Highlights:** Four-stage design thinking process, Brainstorming guidance, Inspiration for originality, Multiple language support, Planning and design workflow aid

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade to Full Version | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is First Mandarin free?

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

### Is Design Thinking free?

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

### Do First Mandarin or Design Thinking have ads?

Neither First Mandarin nor Design Thinking shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, First Mandarin or Design Thinking?

First Mandarin ships an update every 7 months, and Design Thinking every 5 months. Most recently, First Mandarin was updated on September 14, 2026 and Design Thinking on September 21, 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.*