# iKana - Hiragana and Katakana — user reviews > 172 indexed App Store user reviews of iKana by ThinkMac Software, rated 4.80/5 from 323 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikana-hiragana-and-katakana/id288805273/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ikana-hiragana-and-katakana/id288805273.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 278 · 4★ 35 · 3★ 5 · 2★ 3 · 1★ 2 ## What do users think of iKana? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 💯 Excellent for learning kana - 🎓 Helpful for beginners and intermediate learners - 🎨 Clean and intuitive interface - 🔊 Clear audio pronunciations - ✍️ Useful writing practice - 🕰️ Effective speed tests **Cons** - 💰 Relatively expensive for an app - 🔍 Limited customization options in tests - 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs - 🔀 Lack of randomization in practice sets **Commonly reported bugs** - Speed test feature not working properly - Writing practice not functioning for certain kana - Recent wrong answers not saving correctly **Most requested features** - Add kanji learning functionality - Provide more vocabulary practice - Allow toggling of romaji display - Implement timed writing tests ## Newest reviews (18 of 172) ### 2/5 — . *2025-02-10, version 2.9* Не могу сказать что это достойно денег,мне кажется можно найти такое же самое только бесплатно.Оформлено некрасиво,нету разнообразия и очень скучно,программа вроде хорошая,но не заслуживает денег так точно ### 3/5 — Good but for annoying broken issue *2019-06-18* Every time the app opens it prompts me to sign into the iTunes Store despite the fact I bought it. Canceling lets you through but it’s bad programming and an unnecessary irritation which deserves note because it involves your ability to spend/lose money if abused or poorly programmed. **Developer response:** Sorry I'm working on a fix for this, the prompt is coming up when the app checks your purchase receipt (this is required as the app was free with in-app purchases for awhile), you'll never get charged more money by entering your password in the app. ### 5/5 — Thank you *2019-06-10* Option to disable romaji in Dictionary ability to clear Recent Wrong Answers ❤️🙏 Please? Thank you again for the nice app! **Developer response:** Thanks for the suggestions I'll look into it! ### 5/5 — Great! *2019-06-08* Just great for every one and every age. Simple design but done best at what its suppose to do. ### 5/5 — Love this app *2019-06-07* I love this app because it really helps me and my friends to read and write in Japanese and can be very fun and educational thank you for making this app you should make one for Japanese kids to write and read English because it is really fun and educational for the kids even adults can enjoy this app big thumbs up oh and 31 thumbs up Out of 100 stars I would rate this app 100 out of 100 📲✌🏻😍☺️👌😁🤟🏻✍🏻👱🏻‍♀️👧🏼👩🏻‍🎤👰🏼🤵🏻💆🏼‍♀️ Oh and it is very very relaxing and calming thank you👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👩‍👧‍👦👨‍👨‍👧‍👦👩‍👩‍👧‍👧👩‍👩‍👧‍👦🐶🐹🐯🐽🐭🐦🐦🐝🐒🐥🐒🐦🐺🐌🐳🐆🦍💥🌈⛅️🌩☃️ **Developer response:** Thanks so much, happy studying! ☺️ ### 3/5 — No iPad Pro landscape support!! *2019-04-26* Updated review 2019-04-26 I have now switched to an iPad Pro, which I only use in landscape mode. Please add landscape support to this app!! **Developer response:** This is something I hope to add in the near future along with split screen multitasking support, but it's quite a lot of work so please be patient. ### 5/5 — Top! *2019-04-11* Sehr gute ausgeklügelte App. Es ist alles mit dabei und mag kann Kana durch Listen lernen und sich so viel Zeit lassen wie man will. Wenn man seinen Fortschritt testen will, kann man das auf verschiedene Weise tun. Top App! ### 5/5 — Amazing *2019-04-10* Use this every day. Great way to learn. I’ve just added the kanji writing practice add on too. Perfect. I’m using an iPhone and would love to use a pen on the computer. To write calligraphy whilst learning. I don’t really want to use a brush lol. Can’t figure out a way to do it though. As this is by far the best app I’ve found. I’ll keep looking. ### 3/5 — Problème *2019-03-30* Pas mal mais je voudrais savoir comment avoir le test en sélection tout les hiragana de base je n’arrive pas à le lancer , svp traduisez ce qui est expliqué en français. ### 4/5 — Super App, aber... *2019-03-06* Ich liebe die ganze Reihe: iKana, iKanji und iKana Noto. Die ersten beiden habe ich schon seit Jahren auf dem Mac. Man kann seine Kenntnisse auffrischen und auch super neue Vokabeln lernen. Die Apps machen alle viel Freude. Das einzige, was ich an den Apps auszusetzen hätte, wäre, dass das Wörterbuch Japanisch-Englisch ist und nicht Japanisch-Deutsch. Eigentlich sehr schnell behoben, wenn man die Möglichkeit haben könnte, die Sprache umzustellen. Denn so muss man die Vokabeln über eine zweite Sprache lernen, was immer mit Problemen verbunden ist. Eine neue Sprache sollte man immer in Verbindung mit der Muttersprache lernen und das kann man hier leider nicht., weshalb ich die App auch eher zum Auffrischen der Zeichen lerne und nicht wegen den Vokabeln. Schade, sie hat nämlich sehr viel Potential. ### 5/5 — Súper practico *2019-02-18, version 2.8.2* Es lo mejor para practicar y memorizar los kana ### 3/5 — Ikana comment *2018-11-11* Its a bit fun and boring but i still enjoy it also it is hard and confusing ### 4/5 — Pas mal *2018-10-31* L’appli est vraiment pas mal. Le système de flash card et d’entraînement excellent. Il n’y a pas d’obligation d’acheter aussi vu qu’on peut obtenir le version premium 15 mn en regardant les pubs. Cependant, le son ne joue pas ? Et il n’y a pas de test d’écriture aussi. Mais sur d’autres appli, le test d’écriture se montre un peu douteux à certains moments donc je peux comprendre qu’on n’en mette pas. ### 5/5 — Bien mais... *2018-10-12* Appli pratique et bien faite, mais le support du mode PAYSAGE serait un plus non négligeable (supporté par iKANJI et iKANA NŌTO) Pourquoi un mode PAYSAGE: j’utilise l’iPad avec le clavier Logitech, et iKANA (et d’autre applis, aussi) se lance systématiquement en mode PORTRAIT, ce qui n’est pas pratique... 🙃 Please: LANDSCAPE mode ! 😉 ### 5/5 — Excellent *2018-08-18* Parfait pour avancer à son rythme. A utiliser sans modération ### 3/5 — can't purchase dlc *2018-07-07* I can only buy the 15 minute free pass or the day pass, it permanent content **Developer response:** Hey sorry to hear you're having trouble with the in app purchases, please send an email to support@thinkmac.co.uk and I'll try and help you out. ### 5/5 — Excellent learning App *2018-07-03* I am a high beginner studying Japanese. This is a terrific App for getting used to Hiragana and Katakana. I have found it to be an excellent learning aid running on a tablet and using a stylus for practice writing. Highly recommended. ### 5/5 — Indispensable *2018-04-12* This is an excellent app. The explanations are clear and accurate and it is a terrific aid to learning the Japanese writing system. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Bad *2022-03-29* Bad ### 1/5 — Keeps ask for Apple ID password *2019-01-14* This app keeps asking me for my Apple ID password, and it's the only one that does. Also I have touch ID enable for that normally but it does not appear to an option in this case. I am concern this request is not legitimate. **Developer response:** You may be asked to login to your app store account to verify if you've previously purchased any of the In App Purchases, as the app will check this each time you launch it to unlock features as required. Once this is confirmed you shouldn't keep getting nagged however, I'll check to make sure you're not hitting on a bug there. The prompt is generated by iOS when we try and verify the app's receipt – we never see your Apple ID or password. ### 1/5 — Major bug discovered immediately *2016-02-17* Bought the app to practice katakana and immediately discovered that "select for practice" does not work for the speed recognition test, instead including every single character. So basically you have to be tested on all katakana at once. **Developer response:** Hi, this isn't a bug you're misunderstand how the feature works. When you select kana in a set you're not choosing which ones to be tested on, you're choosing kana to add to your practice set. This lets you make a selection from various sets to practice. To study your selected kana go to the main menu and choose the Practice Set. ### 1/5 — The latest update broke some functions! *2016-02-16* The app itself is really good, but unfortunately, the latest update broke some core functions of the app! The 'select for practice' section became useless as no matter which Hiragana you pick, the assessment will always show all 46 Hiragana. And also the writing practice is no longer usable! :( Please fix these bugs soon, I'm just about to learn Japanese and your app has been a great help so far! ### 1/5 — Ne marche plus *2013-08-26, version 2.2.1* S'était pour moi la meilleur appli mais elle ne marche plus hélas ### 1/5 — Bad update *2013-03-08, version 2.1.1* Whit the last update the app have high times loading and app closes in iphone 5 ### 1/5 — Errore *2012-04-09, version 2.0.1* La sequenza per (ki) presenta un errore ### 1/5 — Glitched out *2012-03-07* When I try to draw a kana character it like fans out and does not just make a straight line. I thought maybe it was my ipod but I tried the draw a stick man app and had no issues. Lame. ### 1/5 — ZN *2012-02-12, version 2.0* I used to love this app but as of the update it crashes more and the some of the kana show up bigger than the interface on the writing test, making it impossible to test them. Also, the new speed test where the romanization is given and you have to pick the corressponding kana is MUCH less effective then the previous speed tests where the kana was given and the romanization was picked. Please fix this app and I will rate it 5 stars again ### 1/5 — Muy buena herramienta *2009-03-11, version 0* He intentado aprender muchas veces el alfabeto japonés y no había sido capaz hasta que con esta sencilla y entretenida aplicación lo he conseguido. La recomiendo porque su precio esta muy bien si pienso en lo que he aprendido. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Speed Test *2026-03-31* My speeds makes me feel very smart so Im happy yippee ### 5/5 — Mazen 🇱🇧🇯🇵 *2026-02-16* Great app to learn Japanese 💛 ### 5/5 — Jimbobjunior *2025-04-24* This app was great for studying and helped me get a higher grade😊 ### 5/5 — Excellent *2025-04-06* Would love to see dictation practice added to this app! Otherwise, it’s perfect — the best app for learning kana on iOS by far. ### 5/5 — Perfektes Übungsprogramm *2024-01-23* In der Bahn, Pause oder wo man mal 1min Zeit hat. Gerade für Nichtmuttersprachler, welche es nicht regelmäßig schreiben oder lesen. Vorallem Katakana! ### 5/5 — Hiragana and katakana learning tools *2021-10-06, version 2.9* This is a great app. There are many quizzes to consolidate your study after learning them. ### 5/5 — Vraiment une aide précieuse pour apprendre et mémoriser les kana! *2021-09-14* J’ai appris les kana, katakana et hiragana à mon rythme avec iKana. J’ai pu apprendre à les reconnaître, puis à les écrire. La forme est très ludique, ce qui favorise l’apprentissage. ### 5/5 — Learning Japanese *2020-05-21* I love this app because is mostly free without a pay wall of some sort and you can use it for travel or learning hiragana or katakana, or even kanji the most hardest. Even you know Chinese but Japanese kanji and Chinese letters are a little bit of different meanings. And I’m using this on my iPhone if this app would come to the Mac or pc I would use it every day. And I can practice my Japanese language skills. And right now I know two languages almost three. The first one is English of course and the second one is Cantonese and the third one is obviously Japanese. The one I’m practicing right now. ### 5/5 — Merveilleux *2020-01-11* J’adore les quizz. ### 5/5 — Excellent Card practice *2020-01-10* Exquisite flashcard app --- *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 2026-09-11.*