# Hiragana Times — user reviews > 43 indexed App Store user reviews of Hiragana Times by We Co.,Ltd, rated 4.30/5 from 73 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-times/id729245159/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hiragana-times/id729245159.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 56 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 3 · 2★ 2 · 1★ 8 ## Newest reviews (14 of 43) ### 2/5 — Fonts too small! *2026-05-25, version 8.17.0* This looks like an interesting zine but the font is too small for my tired old eyes, even when I set the font size as large as possible. I use it on an I-pad.. ### 2/5 — Settings not in english *2023-11-19* Settings should be in English. I'm learning japanese and the settings are sometimes in kanji, that's not normal because this app is not intended to japanese readers but to foreigners who are learning japanese... ### 1/5 — It does not work at all! *2022-07-21, version 8.17.0* I have tried for almost two hours trying to log in from my IPhone, it seems this app does not work at all, the worst part is that you have charged me for subscription of your magazine, but I can not read the magazine from my windows computer, and either from this app, I can’t believe you guys would put this app on the market! I want my money back, if you cannot solve this problem! ### 1/5 — Subscription does not work *2022-07-20, version 8.17.0* I have had a paper subscription in the past and loved hiragana times. I thought the App would be great, but the subscription has not worked. I contacted them, no answer…. Please fix this!! ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2022-06-16, version 8.15.0* It worked fine when it was time to take my money but not so much when I tried to use it. ### 2/5 — Audio doesn’t work *2022-06-10, version 8.15.0* Touts recordings but none of them work. What should be a play button is just a blank, unresponsive red button ### 1/5 — Rubbish app *2022-04-29, version 8.13.0* Even u just can’t register and log in, the simplest thing in the world. Register or log in by Google or Facebook account is user friendly and why just adopt it? I deleted this app immediately ### 2/5 — not the best app experience *2021-12-28* every time after restart need to redownload the magazine ### 3/5 — Could be better *2021-10-26* The material is very good and I like it but the app could be better : 1. I have to download the same magazine again and again. It won’t stay in memory after I close the app. 2. It is not possible to change the display from PDF to text only. Reading an article on a small screen would probably be easier. Besides that, the Hiragana Times is a great magazine and I enjoy reading it. ### 3/5 — Problems with functionality and customer service. *2021-08-16, version 8.4.1* The app wants to charge me for issues even though I’m a subscriber. In the past week I’ve contacted the company three times, asking for tech support. Today I contacted them again asking for a refund since they seem to have no intention of supplying the service I paid for. Update: It took my reaching out to the company via PayPal, but the app is working for me now. So I’ve updated my rating from 1 to 3 stars. The magazine is great, but the company should have been more responsive to my earlier requests for help. ### 1/5 — Old way of reading magazines online was far superior!! *2020-05-21, version 7.0.0* I have sent more than enough emails for a password reset, to no avail or answer. I can’t get into the app to read any of the issues I paid for. This is a total failure and unacceptable. Nicholas Dragon, a reader of Hiragana Times for years. ### 2/5 — Have trouble connect to the internet in Mainland China region *2020-01-21, version 6.2.1* Cannot open the app in Mainland, China region. It says SSL error:( ### 1/5 — Way Worse Experience *2020-01-12* Here is an idea. Maybe don’t release a major update without thoroughly testing it first? The new interface doesn’t go full screen so it is worse than the old one. Furthermore, all my 4.5 years worth of subscriptions are gone. The “Restore by AppleID” button only restores individual purchases, but not subscribed issues. I have tired using the Contact Us button and sent a message twice, but got zero replies. I have allowed one month to pass before posting this review. ### 1/5 — Awful *2019-12-26, version 6.0.1* I downloaded the app and purchased 1 magazine in the app and could not even open it of read it. It always says “network connection lost” even though my internet is just fine. Not worth the money, app does not work. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Basic functions don‘t work *2025-04-28, version 8.17.0* Saw the print copy in the bookstore and wanted to subscribe. Created an account online, tried to login to the app, could not find my account. Tried to purchase a subscription with ApplePay, repeatedly denied. Sorry, your competitor‘s app works fine, so I am using that instead. ### 1/5 — Beware *2024-01-30, version 8.17.0* If you subscribe then download issues to read later, those issues all disappear when your subscription period ends!!! So even though you paid for them they are stolen back . The issues covering the subscription period should be perpetually available to customers. Better to get the paper versions instead of this robbery. I subscribed for one year but will never subscribe again. ### 1/5 — 無法使用 *2023-07-28, version 8.17.0* 無法創立新帳號，也無法登入，一直跳出格式錯誤的訊息，請問該如何獲得協助，謝謝 ### 1/5 — 網路連線一直有問題 *2023-05-23, version 8.17.0* 設計很漂亮沒錯，但是伺服器連線一直有問題 ### 1/5 — App does not work. *2023-04-14, version 8.17.0* Trying to set up an account but there is no prompt for setting up a password? ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work at all *2023-02-13, version 8.17.0* I was given an annual subscription in October but three months later I cannot open a single magazine。massively flawed and I’ve been conned out of a year’s subscription cost,! ### 1/5 — App cannot open *2022-11-08, version 8.17.0* アプリ使えない。 お金かかったのに、サービス使えないなんかショックだった。 ### 1/5 — Unable to login *2022-10-31, version 8.17.0* App can not log in. ### 1/5 — The magazine is pretty good but the app is not good *2022-09-07, version 8.17.0* The magazine is pretty good but the app is not good in that it requires an internet connection to read. I am stuck on a train (or a plane) without internet and I can’t read the magazine. And this means if I do not renew the subscription I’ll lose access to all the contents. I did not expect that. Should have went for the paper version. ### 1/5 — :( *2022-08-24, version 8.17.0* Cannot even register ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Fantastic magazine and learning tool *2024-12-09, version 8.17.0* Hiragana Times is very well put together with both excellent writing and Japanese/English translation and audio. So helpful for both the Japanese learner and anyone interested in Japan! ### 5/5 — Best Way to learn and enjoy Japanese *2020-06-29, version 7.3.0* I’ve used everything and am at about the N1 level. I’ve used this magazine before digital was even available. I look forward to every month’s issue. Great materials from beginning level to native. I love it. ### 5/5 — 英語の勉強で使ってます！ *2019-12-15* 最新のトピックをバイリンガルで勉強できるのは嬉しいです！ アップデートもされてストレスなくサクサク見れてます。 **Developer response:** going117さま　コメントありがとうございます！これからどんどんコンテンツ及び機能を増やして参りますのでご期待下さい！ ### 5/5 — 用英語學習日文的好工具 *2019-12-15, version 6.0.1* 雜誌式的內容，讓人每一期都可以收到最新資訊。主題式的教學，現學、現用，很有效率！ ### 4/5 — Very good *2020-03-12* I am pleased to see the new App. The Material is very good. I didn’t rate it 5star because there is no digital material specificaly made for the App. Some video, or else would be good. ### 4/5 — Active subscriptions work again! *2020-01-02, version 6.1.0* Thanks for updating the app so I can read all of my issues again. Looking forward to additional features in the works. ### 4/5 — Crash when switching app *2019-12-05* Using latest iPad Pro & iOS 12.x If you switch app and switch back to Hiragana Times app, it crash. 2019-12-05 - Ok, thanks a lot for the update. Because of this problem I was not using it at all, and lost hope to see an upgrade one day.. And today it’s working almost fine, so I’m really happy. Magazines are opening very fast now and the interface is clean - very cool. A note : I had to download again all my issues but it was very fast. I found the speed weird because with the previous version it was slow as hell. I understood why this difference. Audio files are not downloaded by default, like the PDFs for kanji only texts. It’s not a big deal, because once we start the reading of an audio file or open a PDF, it’s ok, files are in cache after. But it could be great to have an option to download all related files of an issue, because we can start the reading when we have no mobile connectivity.. Thanks again. **Developer response:** Thank you so much, gyan000-san. Your words surely elevate our team. We will continue doing our best to improve the App furthermore. Although we are not planing for the option to download the files, instead, we would like to provide a stress-free user experience and also preparing to give all the access to the whole back issues(aiming at the back until 1986) and original Japanese language textbooks to the members. We all very much hope you will continue to enjoy your Japanese language/culture journey with us. Thank you again. >Sorry for the disappointment. Finally, the App has revamped by a new developer. In the year 2020, further new functions are coming up. I hope you will keep tracking on us and continue using it. Thank you for the comment. ### 4/5 — 音声テキストが良かった *2013-11-20* 来年のNHK大河ドラマの主人公の黒田官兵衛がどんな人物か英語でも聴けるのは素晴らしい。他にも面白い記事が多い。外国人向けのようだが、日本人の英語の勉強に使えるよ。 **Developer response:** ご愛読に心より感謝申し上げます。今回、アプリをフルにニューアルし、さらに2020年度は、様々な機能（レッスン機能など）が追加されますのでご期待下さい。引き続きご利用頂けることを願っております。 ### 3/5 — Orz *2022-12-31, version 8.17.0* 誠摯地請問是否會開發筆記及螢光筆的功能？謝謝 ### 3/5 — App not working on IPad Air *2022-05-08, version 8.13.0* Although the App Store mentions that the app is compatible with IPad Air, it does not open. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*