Many people confuse the "soroban", the "abacus" and the "Chinese abacus". In fact, abacus is a general term for any bead-based calculation tool, while soroban refers specifically to the Japanese version.
The Japanese soroban
Each column has one heaven bead (5) and four earth beads (1 each). Its simplified design makes it ideal for learning fast mental math.
The Chinese suanpan
It traditionally has two beads above the bar and five below it, giving more flexibility in some older methods but making it more complex for beginners.
Which is best for learning?
For starting mental math, most teachers prefer the Japanese soroban for its simplicity and efficiency. That is what we use in our lessons. Start now with the basics.