# Mebae — Kana and kanji, natively

> Learn Japanese Hiragana and Katakana with spaced repetition and stroke order guides. (iPhone/iPad app by Agustin Jaimes.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mebae/id6762408746 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Agustin Jaimes](https://appshunter.io/developer/948495400)
- Category: Education
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 26.4 · 3 MB
- Languages: American English, Japanese, Mexican Spanish
- Released: 2026-05-02
- Data updated: 2026-10-07
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases

## What is Mebae?

Mebae teaches you to read Japanese — hiragana, katakana and the first hundred kanji — with the calm, no-nonsense workflow you'd expect from a native iOS app.

What you get on day one, completely free:

- The full chart for both syllabaries, color-coded as you practice.
- The 103 kanji of JLPT level N5, grouped by stroke count, each with its
  on and kun readings, its meaning and its animated stroke order. Tap a
  reading to hear that one — a kanji has no single way of sounding.
- Tap any kana to hear its pronunciation and watch the animated stroke
  order.
- 10-question practice rounds that put your weaker characters first,
  using SM-2 spaced repetition to decide what you owe and when.
- Three difficulty levels: two options, four options, or freeform
  romaji on a custom keyboard.
- Streak counter, weekly accuracy chart, and a "most missed this week"
  list to point you at what to study next.
- Full localization in English, Spanish (MX), and Japanese.
- iCloud sync — practice on the iPhone, pick up on the iPad.

What you do not get, ever:

- No ads.
- No subscription.
- No account to create.
- No data collected.

A single optional purchase unlocks the Pro features: handwriting
practice with stroke guidance for every kana, multi-kana calligraphy
sessions that end in a printable genkouyoushi-style PDF report, eight
color themes inspired by traditional Japanese dyes, and infinite
practice mode. Kanji are free to read, study and quiz; handwriting
practice covers the kana. 90% of the app is free.

Built solo, native Swift / SwiftUI, no third-party packages. Under 3 MB.

## Key features

- Learn Hiragana and Katakana
- Spaced repetition system
- Animated stroke order
- Pronunciation audio
- Progress tracking charts
- Multiple difficulty levels
- iCloud sync

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mebae Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Is Mebae safe?

Not enough ratings yet to assess Mebae.

## Is Mebae legit?

Mebae has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for Mebae is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data.


## Frequently asked questions about Mebae

### What Japanese writing systems does Mebae teach?

Mebae teaches the Japanese kana syllabaries: Hiragana and Katakana. These are fundamental to reading and writing Japanese.

### How does Mebae help users learn effectively?

Mebae uses a spaced repetition system (SM-2) to prioritize weaker characters, provides animated stroke order guides, and offers pronunciation audio for each character.

### Is Mebae free to use?

Yes, 90% of Mebae's features are available for free, including the full kana charts, practice rounds, and progress tracking. An optional purchase unlocks additional features.

### What does the optional purchase in Mebae unlock?

The optional purchase unlocks handwriting practice with stroke guidance, accent-color themes, and an infinite practice mode. This purchase supports ongoing development.

### Does Mebae have ads?

No, Mebae is completely ad-free. The developer explicitly states 'No ads' as a feature.

### Can I use Mebae on multiple devices?

Yes, Mebae supports iCloud sync, allowing you to practice on your iPhone and seamlessly continue on your iPad.

### How often is Mebae updated?

Mebae was last updated on May 4, 2026, with version 1.2.1. This indicates active development and regular improvements.

### What is the age rating for Mebae?

Mebae has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of learners, including children and adults.

## Version history (last 4 releases)

### 1.4 — 2026-09-24

What's new in this version:

- Kanji arrive. All 103 characters of JLPT level N5, with their on and
  kun readings, their meaning and their animated stroke order. Tap any
  reading to hear that one: a kanji has no single way of sounding, and
  now you choose which to hear.
- Practise kanji three ways: character to meaning, character to reading,
  or the other way round — meaning to character, which is the hardest.
  All of it joins your spaced repetition alongside the kana.
- Kanji are free: browsing, readings, meanings, stroke animations and the
  quiz. Handwriting practice still covers the kana.

- Spaced repetition finally works for you. Mebae was already working out
  when each kana was due; now it tells you. Progress gains "Due for
  review": the kana you owe today, longest-overdue first, and a round
  that starts in one tap.
- A kana's detail screen no longer has the "Practice" button floating
  over it. The screen is yours, and "Practice stroke" reads in full.
- Fewer interruptions. The invitation to support Mebae now appears once
  a day instead of every round.
- The app got lighter: stroke-order data takes a quarter of the space it
  used to, without losing a single stroke.

### 1.3 — 2026-09-18

What's new in this version:

- Mebae now uses the native iOS 26 tab bar. Hiragana, Katakana, Tracing, Progress and Settings each have their own tab, always one tap away, and the bar tucks itself away while you scroll the chart.
- Each syllabary remembers where you left it: switch from Hiragana to Katakana and back without losing your place.
- "Practice" now floats above the tab bar on the Hiragana and Katakana tabs on iPhone, ready whenever you are. On iPad it stays under the chart, where it has always been.
- Progress and Settings keep their state between visits instead of opening as sheets.
- The new Tracing tab shows what stroke practice sessions offer before you unlock Mebae Pro, including a free one-kana demo.

### 1.2.1 — 2026-05-04

Fixed a small issue where the Stroke Practice demo on the Support Mebae screen didn't appear on the first tap. It now opens reliably.

### 1.2 — 2026-05-02

No release notes.

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*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 2026-10-07.*