Kanji Study vs Ringotan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Kanji Study
This app teaches Japanese kanji by focusing on vocabulary words. It offers writing practice with stroke detection and spaced repetition reviews for effective memorization. Learn kanji readings naturally through over 5,000 JLPT-aligned words.
- Vocabulary-first kanji learning
- Writing lessons with stroke detection
- Spaced repetition reviews
- Full JLPT N5-N1 coverage
- Audio pronunciation
- Offline functionality
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Most kanji apps show you a character and its readings and expect you to memorize them cold. Kanji Study takes a different approach: you learn kanji through the vocabulary words they appear in. By studying real JLPT words, over 5,000 of them across N5 to N1, you absorb kanji readings naturally, one word at a time, the way they actually appear in Japanese. What makes it different: Vocabulary-first learning: master readings through words, not rote memorization Writing lessons with stroke detection: learn correct stroke order and get instant feedback Spaced repetition reviews: English → Japanese and Japanese → English, including writing quizzes Full JLPT coverage: structured levels from N5 through N1 Audio pronunciation: hear every word read aloud Works offline: no internet connection required Ideal for JLPT test prep, Japanese language students, or anyone preparing to live or work in Japan.
Ringotan
Master Japanese Kanji by practicing writing. This app uses advanced input detection and spaced repetition to help you learn quickly and effectively. Focuses on the physical act of writing characters, not just recognition.
- Learn Kanji by writing
- Advanced input detection
- Spaced repetition system (SRS)
- Focus on writing, not just reading
- Frequent updates with new features
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Learn Kanji by actually writing it! Ringotan is the first app built from the ground up to teach you how to WRITE Japanese Kanji, not just read them. By combining advanced input detection with industry-standard SRS (spaced repetition) algorithms, Ringotan ensures you learn as fully and quickly as possible. ----------------- Ringotan is free for a limited time. We update frequently, so be sure to check back for new features!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Kanji Study's 8. Ringotan also leads on review sentiment (98% vs 69%) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). Kanji Study's advantage is ratings volume (7.2K vs 567). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Kanji Study sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kanji Study has 7.2K ratings behind it against 567, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Kanji Study's written reviews are positive against 98% of Ringotan's.
Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, Ringotan every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Kanji Study | Ringotan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (7.2K ratings) | 4.9 (567 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | 97.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7.2K — better | 567 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days — better | Every 3 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | 12.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 131 MB | 206 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Luli Languages LLC | Daniel Pflughoeft |
Customer experience
Kanji Study
Ringotan
User reviews
Kanji Study
From 7.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great app for learning kanji
- 👍 Effective review system
- 💡 Organized by JLPT levels
- 👍 Affordable one-time purchase
- 👍 Helps with writing practice and muscle memory
Room to improve
- 🐛 Sensitive kanji recognition, sometimes doesn't accept correct strokes
- 🐛 Review sessions can get very long and tedious
- 🐛 Inconsistent kanji definitions and translations
- 🐛 Lack of syncing progress across devices
Ringotan
From 567 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Effective kanji learning system
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔓 No ads or paywalls
- 💡 Customizable settings and integration with other resources
- 🎨 Visually pleasing and engaging
Room to improve
- 🔍 Keyword hints not always clear enough
- 🔀 Limited ability to customize word lists
- 🔆 Light mode only, no dark mode option
- 🔍 Difficulty identifying which kanji is being tested at times
Bugs and requests
Kanji Study
Reported bugs
3 issues- Certain kanji not recognized correctly
- App crashing or freezing, especially during long review sessions
- Progress not syncing across devices
Requested features
4 requests- Option to customize review sessions (select specific kanji, JLPT levels, etc.)
- Add both on and kun readings for kanji
- Implement sentence practice and vocabulary exercises
- Add support for more languages (e.g. Russian)
Ringotan
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional issues with stroke order recognition
- Some kanji pronunciations not accurately represented
Requested features
5 requests- Add dark mode option
- Allow users to create and save custom kanji lists
- Provide more detailed keyword hints before writing
- Implement device sync to continue progress across platforms
- Add notification system to remind users of upcoming reviews
In-app purchases
Kanji Study
- Level 1$9.99
- Level 2$12.99
- Level 3$14.99
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- Level 4$14.99
- Level 5$14.99
- All Levels3 variants$29.99
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Kanji Study free?
Is Ringotan free?
Which has better reviews, Kanji Study or Ringotan?
Do Kanji Study or Ringotan have ads?
Which is updated more often, Kanji Study or Ringotan?
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