# Japanese Conversation Basic vs Minna

The clearest difference is rating: Japanese Conversation Basic at 5.0 against Minna's 4.5. Japanese Conversation Basic also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). Minna's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 9 months) and ratings volume (39 vs 1). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Minna sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Japanese Conversation Basic asks for nothing beyond the download.

Japanese Conversation Basic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Minna has 39 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Japanese Conversation Basic ships an update every 9 months, Minna every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Japanese Conversation Basic | Minna |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-conversation-basic/id1046485654/reviews)** | [4.5 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minna-japanese-for-beginners/id1637843824/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **39** |
| Positive reviews | — | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 34 MB | 213 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hung Phuoc Tran](https://appshunter.io/developer/1003648744) | [Vuong Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1267439610) |

## What reviewers say

### Japanese Conversation Basic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-conversation-basic/id1046485654)

Learn basic Japanese conversation through topic-based lessons. Save listening history, bookmark phrases, and test your knowledge to improve your language skills.

**Highlights:** View conversations by topic, Save listening history, Bookmark phrases, Test knowledge, Learn Japanese

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Minna

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/minna-japanese-for-beginners/id1637843824)

Master essential Japanese vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation for beginner levels. Practice conversations with native pitch accent guides and track your progress with an intuitive interface. This app offers a fun and effective way to learn Japanese.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive vocabulary for JLPT N5/N4, Native pitch accent visualization, Japanese verb conjugation practice, Pronunciation exercises with accent suggestions, Real-life dialogue practice (Kaiwa), Progress tracking and review mechanism, Intuitive user interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium (Yearly plan) | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Japanese Conversation Basic free?

Japanese Conversation Basic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Minna free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Japanese Conversation Basic or Minna?

Japanese Conversation Basic is rated higher. Japanese Conversation Basic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Minna averages 4.5 from 39 ratings.

### Do Japanese Conversation Basic or Minna have ads?

Neither Japanese Conversation Basic nor Minna shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Japanese Conversation Basic or Minna?

Japanese Conversation Basic ships an update every 9 months, and Minna every 2 weeks. Most recently, Japanese Conversation Basic was updated on October 29, 2026 and Minna on November 3, 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.*