Comparison

10 Bead Math vs Manipulatives

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

Head to head
About

10 Bead Math

This educational tool simulates a Rekenrek, offering customizable bead rows for problem-solving. It includes features for identifying hidden beads and solving addition/subtraction problems up to 20. Developed with educational research, it supports various color patterns.

Highlights
  • Customizable bead rows (1-10)
  • Color pattern selection
  • Hidden bead identification
  • Addition and subtraction practice
  • Adjustable sums and minuends
Features
Read full description

A tool similar to the Rekenrek. Options include showing from 1 to 10 rows of 10 beads to use in solving your own problems. Select the color pattern of the beads… traditional 5 Red/5 White; or, show pairs of colors, alternate colors, or all red beads. Two other options include: • identifying the number of beads hidden. That activity may be used with 1 to 10 rows of beads. • solving addition or subtraction problems with sums or minuends to 20. Adjust the sums and minuends as appropriate for learner goals. Developed in conjunction with the NumberSense Project at Augustana College, Rock Island, IL

About

Manipulatives

This app provides a digital collection of math manipulatives for learners of all ages. It offers interactive tools for building number sense, exploring fractions and geometry, and practicing everyday math concepts without requiring physical supplies. Designed for ease of use in homes and classrooms, it keeps user work saved on the device.

Highlights
  • Virtual math manipulatives
  • Number sense tools
  • Fraction and geometry exploration
  • Interactive lesson tools
  • Touch-first controls
  • Work saved on device
  • No accounts or ads
Read full description

When a math idea doesn’t click, show it a different way. Move fraction tiles, slide rekenrek beads, build with base-ten bars, all on the iPhone or iPad you already own. Five tools are free; Manipulatives Pro unlocks all 18. BRING YOUR OWN LESSON Built for parents, homeschool families, teachers and educators, Manipulatives fits into the way you already teach. Model a homework problem, demonstrate an idea to your class, or let a child explore at their own pace. There is no required curriculum, scoring system or distracting game loop. FIVE TOOLS INCLUDED FREE - Math Bars: build and compare quantities; model addition and subtraction. - Ten Frames: arrange counters, recognize quantities and make ten. - Hundred Chart: mark numbers and explore skip-counting patterns. - Dice Roller: roll, count and explore probability. - Clock: move the hands and connect analog and digital time. EXPLORE MORE WITH MANIPULATIVES PRO Unlock the other 13 tools to complete your teaching shelf: - Rekenrek: slide beads to explore groups of five and ten. - Linking Cubes: connect cubes to build and compare quantities. - Two-Color Counters: sort, count and show parts of a whole. - Number Line: place numbers and explore jumps along a line. - Fraction Tiles: compare fractions using tiles and circles. - Pattern Blocks: combine shapes and explore patterns. - Geoboard: stretch bands around pegs to build shapes. - Tangram Canvas: move and rotate pieces to explore geometry. - Shape Builder: construct shapes with rods and connectors. - Money Counting: arrange coins and bills to explore value. - Probability Spinner: change sections and explore chance. - Thermometer: explore temperature and compare scales. - Sketch Pad: draw a model or work through an idea. READY FOR THE NEXT LESSON Touch-first controls keep the focus on the materials. Each tool remembers its most recent setup on your device, so you can return to your work. Sound and haptic feedback can be turned off in Settings. CHOOSE HOW TO UNLOCK PRO Monthly and annual subscriptions unlock the full library; the annual plan includes a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Or choose the separate lifetime purchase for permanent Pro access with one payment and no renewal. All three options unlock the same tools. No purchase is needed to keep using the five free tools. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, advertising, analytics or third-party tracking. Lesson work stays on your device. A parent or guardian can optionally send support feedback and include an email address for a reply. Purchases, external links and parent settings are protected by a grown-up math check. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage subscriptions in Apple Account settings. Restore purchases in the app. The lifetime purchase does not renew or expire. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://manipulatives.app/privacy

Screenshots

Manipulatives4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Manipulatives at 5.0 against 10 Bead Math's 1.0. Manipulatives also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). 10 Bead Math's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.1). On price and ads 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. Manipulatives sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. 10 Bead Math asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Manipulatives holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Manipulatives has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

10 Bead Math ships an update every 9 months, Manipulatives every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
10 Bead Math versus Manipulatives: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter10 Bead MathManipulatives
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings18 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS10.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClassroom Focused SoftwareFractelle Inc

Customer experience

10 Bead Math

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Manipulatives

All ratings8 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

10 Bead Math

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Manipulatives

Subscriptions2
  • Manipulatives Pro Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Manipulatives Pro Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Manipulatives Pro Lifetime$99.99

Questions

Is 10 Bead Math free?
10 Bead Math is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Manipulatives free?
Manipulatives is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, 10 Bead Math or Manipulatives?
Manipulatives is rated higher. 10 Bead Math averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Manipulatives averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.
Do 10 Bead Math or Manipulatives have ads?
Neither 10 Bead Math nor Manipulatives shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 10 Bead Math or Manipulatives?
10 Bead Math ships an update every 9 months, and Manipulatives every 2 weeks. Most recently, 10 Bead Math was updated on October 10, 2026 and Manipulatives on October 18, 2026.

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