# FirstKaruta Lite vs ARIAKE2

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FirstKaruta Lite at none against ARIAKE2's 8. FirstKaruta Lite also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 41%) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). ARIAKE2's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ARIAKE2 sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. FirstKaruta Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

FirstKaruta Lite ships an update every 3 months, ARIAKE2 fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | FirstKaruta Lite | ARIAKE2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstkaruta-lite/id1015813343/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 40.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 145 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [polygondrill co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/952010791) | [MOUBIC,inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/510226690) |

## What reviewers say

### FirstKaruta Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/firstkaruta-lite/id1015813343)

This app helps children learn the Hyakunin Isshu karuta by breaking down the 100 poems into smaller groups. It features furigana for all text, clear audio readings, and explanations of poem meanings tailored for kids. Practice and play against a cat character to improve your skills.

**Highlights:** Learn poems in small groups, Furigana for all text, Clear female voice readings, Kid-friendly poem explanations, Practice matches against AI, Memorize by 'kimariji' (decisive characters)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ARIAKE2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ariake2/id1383687669)

This app plays audio recitations of poems from the Hyakunin Isshu, a collection of 100 Japanese poems. It's designed for training and playing Kyogi Karuta, a traditional Japanese card game.

**Highlights:** Hyakunin Isshu poem recitation, Randomized playback, Shuffled order playback, Kyogi Karuta training tool, Japanese poetry audio

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ARIAKE2 INABA Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 HIROMOTO Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 NISHIDA Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 KUSUDA Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 GOMI Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 KIMURA Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 YOKOTANI Reader | $9.99 | one-time |
| ARIAKE2 Pro - Full ARIAKE2 App | $22.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is FirstKaruta Lite free?

FirstKaruta Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ARIAKE2 free?

ARIAKE2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do FirstKaruta Lite or ARIAKE2 have ads?

Neither FirstKaruta Lite nor ARIAKE2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, FirstKaruta Lite or ARIAKE2?

FirstKaruta Lite ships an update every 3 months, and ARIAKE2 fortnightly. Most recently, FirstKaruta Lite was updated on October 16, 2026 and ARIAKE2 on October 8, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*