# Real Kana — user reviews > 99 indexed App Store user reviews of Real Kana by Hoo Logic, rated 4.00/5 from 37 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-kana/id343807473/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/real-kana/id343807473.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 21 · 4★ 4 · 3★ 4 · 2★ 6 · 1★ 2 ## What do users think of Real Kana? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Simple and intuitive interface - 🚀 Fast and efficient for practice - 💡 Great for learning kana (Hiragana/Katakana) - ✅ Effective for memorization - 🔠 Supports extended Katakana - 🎨 Customizable settings and appearance - 📚 Useful for reviewing and refreshing knowledge - ✨ Focuses on reading recognition - 💯 Developers are appreciated - 🌟 Good value for money **Cons** - ❌ Lacks word practice feature - 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently - 🚫 Keyboard disappears - ❓ No audio pronunciation - 📉 Outdated UI/design - 🔄 Not updated for newer iPhones/iPads - 😵 Confusing to navigate initially - 🔠 Incorrect hiragana combinations labeled - 🤔 Settings not intuitive to find - 😩 Version 2 is a step backward from Version 1 **Commonly reported bugs** - App crashes on iOS18 when moving to next character - Keyboard becomes invisible after app switch or phone lock - App scrolls through vowels only, no menu - App won't rotate to landscape mode on iPad - Unable to install app after purchase - Setting bar doesn't appear - Multiple taps needed to hear pronunciation - Incorrect combination hiragana labels - App crashes before opening post-update - Typing practice doesn't clear if wrong in Version 2 - Backgrounds are distracting in Version 2 **Most requested features** - Implement word practice feature like the website - Add audio pronunciation - Update UI for modern devices (iPhone X+, iPad) - Implement landscape mode for iPad - Add onboarding or tutorial - Improve keyboard visibility - Add spaced repetition - Add voice recognition - Allow selection of individual characters for study - Add option to adjust font size - Add dark mode or color options - Add score tracking without showing answers - Add drawing practice for kana ## Newest reviews (18 of 99) ### 4/5 — Good but website better *2025-05-24* So, I really like the app and the website, but you can’t learn using words like on the website. Pleaaseee implement the words feature into the app ### 3/5 — Extended katakana! ⭐️ but no word practice ❌ *2025-05-05, version 3.0.4* Great for learning the kana. App version of the website realkana.com. Most other kana apps don’t have the extended katakana like this one does, so I bought it to practice the extended katakana. I already know the kana but I always struggle when I read a word with any of the extended katakana forms like ウィ or フェ which don’t have a hiragana equivalent. Unfortunately the app doesn’t have word typing practice like the website does. I’ve already been using the website so I don’t mind supporting the devs and I don’t expect them to implement this as the last big update was a decade ago, but it would be nice to have! ### 3/5 — Ugh *2024-11-24, version 3.0.4* Found this via a website and I absolutely love it. But the app on my iPad wont rotate to landscape mode. Please for the love of god update this ### 2/5 — app is SO buggy *2024-11-14, version 3.0.4* constant crashes on iOS18 when trying to move on to the next character. Pretty useless for learning anything with it crashing every 4-5 characters ### 3/5 — Keyboard disappears *2024-06-24, version 3.0.4* I like the app but every time I change app or lock the phone and then I reopen the app, the keyboard becomes invisible: I can still type but I can’t see any character so I need to start again my session ### 3/5 — Hello Dev *2023-11-11* I bought this app because i use the website alot. I want to support your work. But there is something wrong with this app: On the website, you can write whole words and not only the Hiraganas or Katakanas. You can choose between N5-N1 Words. That improves the reading skill alot. Please please implement this in the app. Until then, i will use the website. Thank you. ### 2/5 — Is there audio for this app? *2023-10-22, version 3.0.2* On the description, it stated native pronunciation and silly me for thinking there’s audio pronunciation instead of just romaji. Not sure how that’s gonna help with pronunciation when there’s no audio help. Or am I missing something? Waste of money. ### 2/5 — Will be much more useful if it supported iPad and had an onboarding *2023-09-11, version 3.0.2* Was very disappointed when I was recommended this app and had to consult YouTube for instructions. Onboarding should be in an app, or the app should be designed such that it’s self explanatory and no documentation needs to be consulted; especially one that is iOS-only. Then I found that the app doesn’t support iPad which is where I do much of my Japanese study. It runs, but only in portrait mode. One star for being iOS only, and one star for being useful on the iPhone after consulting documentation. I almost asked for a refund but decided communicating what would make this app worthy of more stars would be more helpful. Right now, this hasn’t replaced my flash cards yet. ### 4/5 — Great app, pulled a quick one tho *2022-08-15, version 3.0.2* This app is great and very much preferred to its online counterpart, however the backgrounds shown in the pictures of the app are not accurate, as there are only 4, this however, is mentioned in the description ### 2/5 — Some incorrect combination hiragana *2022-04-18, version 3.0.2* In usage, the dzyo, dzya, etc were incorrectly labeled as jo, ja, etc. I will return for refund towards correct resource ### 4/5 — Love the app such a great and fast way to learn the alphabet *2021-06-20, version 2.4.1* Here are some suggestions because I have a hard time changing the stuff there really isn’t a button for “settings” but other than that it’s super simple and it just works ### 4/5 — Nice! *2020-08-25, version 2.4.1* Really nice app! Would give five stars if it was adapted to iphone X ### 4/5 — Great App, but... *2020-04-19, version 2.4.1* The app is amazingly useful however it could use a UI update to accommodate iPhone X+ users. Other than that, great app!! ### 2/5 — Came from the realkana website, going back to the website for now *2019-02-24, version 2.4.1* PLEASE ADD LANDSCAPE VIEW! I’m on the iPad Pro with the Smart Keyboard thinking that it’ll be a Japanese learning powerhouse with realkana, but the app is stuck in portrait mode -_- Going back to the website for now. ### 2/5 — Features Not Working *2018-10-19, version 2.4.1* The setting bar doesn’t appear anymore. Also, I have to continually tap the screen multiple times to hear the pronunciation of the character. ### 4/5 — Extremely useful.. a few things could be better *2018-07-18, version 2.4.1* This is a great application for several reasons: -In your study of kana, you will find that there are just a few characters your mind can't wrap itself around. This application let you focus on those through it's a way of letting you select different characters. -annoying but necessary: being able to choose different fonts. It's hard enough to learn these incredibly big alphabets without getting sandbagged by people drawing them in different fonts .... but it is what it is! :-) this application let you choose which funds to practice with. Once you master the common ones you can add the others. What could be better: Once you get an answer wrong, it should erase the characters you typed. If it happened to me once it happened 100 times that I typed the correct answer but it was wrong because characters were left over from the attempt. This completely breaks the workflow. I have selected all katakana and although I like that it's repeating the ones I mistake the most… A great feature… It really isn't picking the entire alphabet. Might want to check your random algorithm :-) Also: please unhide the settings :-) I understand the desire for clean but like apple this is taken to an extreme. You shouldn't need a soothsayer to figure out how to use an application lol Overall an incredibly useful application for learning kana which should be your first step before doing anything in Japanese. ### 5/5 — Helps a lot. *2018-03-25, version 2.4.1* This is just such a nice and simple app. Perfect for quickly running through the hiragana and katakana alphabet. Glad to support the dev. ### 5/5 — Perfect study guide- but no sound? *2017-06-11, version 2.4.1* I love this app and the website, thank you for making this great tool! Simple and effective. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Doesn’t work *2025-03-03, version 3.0.4* All I does is scroll though vowels. There is no menu like in the screenshots ### 1/5 — Unable to install hint *2023-09-14* I pay to download this app and it said unable to install?? What happened? ### 1/5 — Don't spent your money *2016-12-03, version 2.4.1* The website is fantastic but this app doesn't do what it is supposed to do. Buggy and hard to use. I can't change the background or the hard to read typeface even though I am meant to, I can't even change between katakana or hiragana. I definitely recommend just using the website instead until this has been further developed. I wish I could get my money back. ### 1/5 — Not working *2016-07-03, version 2.4.1* Where are the directions? All I see are 3 hiragana letters that I can swipe around. ### 1/5 — Basic, awful, not intuitive *2015-09-19, version 2.1* Much better apps out there for Kana, and they're probably free. After about 30 seconds of using this app I knew it was kind of worthless. Unfortunately there was a way to get my money back. But since it's the cost of cappuccino I'm not gonna sweat it. ### 1/5 — What? *2015-01-29, version 2.0* I just threw away $2.99, terrible app. The hiragana just scrolls, no sound, small print. ### 1/5 — Not Recommended *2015-01-13, version 2.0* Not recommended for iOS 7, no help icon or instructions also just keeps scrolling the same 5 hiragana, I wasted 3 dollars. ### 1/5 — No instructions on how to use *2015-01-03, version 2.0* Help tabs are completely blank in ios7 ### 1/5 — App won't open *2014-10-26, version 2.0* Post-update, this app just crashes before opening on my iOS7 iPhone 4. ### 1/5 — Can't use! *2014-10-23* Where's the keyboard?! **Developer response:** Hi! Please let me know if you're still having problems. My email is info@realkana.com. Thanks! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Beste App zum Lernen japanischer Schriftzeichen *2022-11-05* Funktioniert im Prinzip wie Vokabeln lernen. Es kommt ein Schriftzeichen, man tippt seine Antwort (oder lässt auflösen). Man kann Zeilenweise neue Zeichen zum Lernen aktivieren, und sich so Schritt für Schritt vorzuarbeiten. Es werden verschiedene Schriftarten angeboten, was sehr nützlich ist, da die Zeichen sich dabei stark unterscheiden können. Auch visuell ist die App schön gestaltet. Obendrein werden noch einige Optionen zur Personalisierung der Funktionen und des Aussehens angeboten. **Developer response:** Thank you for the detailed review! Greetings from Tokyo … ### 5/5 — An amazing tool for learning *2022-10-01, version 3.0.2* I don’t go anywhere without this tool. It is a MUST have for learning or remembering the alphabet. This tool single-handedly taught me how to read (phonetically) Japanese. The developers are a gift to us. Thank you for making this. The interface is focused and beautiful. The settings are so customizable. It’s simple and powerful. Thank you. ### 5/5 — great kana learn app *2022-02-26* simple, intuitive and easy to use ### 5/5 — Awesome app! *2020-08-13, version 2.4.1* I originally thought this app was going to be a lot more complex than it turned out to be, and was even surprised at its simplicity. It however is an amazing app great for learning all your kana in a flashcard style. ### 5/5 — Great for reading practice *2020-02-22, version 2.4.1* This app has been an effective tool in helping me increase my hiragana/katakana reading ability. My vocab is low so I never have the desire to read even though I need to. But this app is colorful and engaging enough that scrolling through a few hundred of these cards feels pretty fun. For studying. Haha. ### 5/5 — The best out there *2020-01-24, version 2.4.1* I don’t write reviews for anything but this one deserves it. It’s a simple interface, easy to navigate and customize and it’s cheap for what you get. 10/10 app. ### 5/5 — Still awesome *2019-10-19, version 2.4.1* Even though this app hasn’t been updated for a while, it’s still amazing! Excellent tool for helping you remember hiragana and katakana. ### 5/5 — Really helpful *2019-03-28, version 2.4.1* I love this app. I’d love even more if I could use it in landscape mode, especially the iPad version. ### 5/5 — Does what it’s supposed to *2019-02-21, version 2.4.1* This app isn’t the prettiest, and it isn’t even optimized for iPhone X-like devices, but it gets the job done. Super helpful for reviewing kana! I’m just beginning my Japanese studies and this app (and its website) are great for making sure you’ve got a good grasp of Hiragana and Katakana. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2018-03-26, version 2.4.1* Super helpful --- *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 2026-09-02.*