Comparison

Kanji Study vs Ringotan

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Kanji Study

Master Japanese kanji through vocabulary words, not rote memorization. Features writing practice with stroke detection, spaced repetition reviews, and full JLPT level coverage. Learn kanji naturally, one word at a time, with audio pronunciation. Works offline and is ideal for JLPT test prep.

Highlights
  • Vocabulary-first kanji learning
  • Writing lessons with stroke detection
  • Spaced repetition reviews
  • Full JLPT N5-N1 coverage
  • Audio pronunciation for words
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Learn Kanji by writing
  • Advanced input detection
  • Spaced repetition system (SRS)
  • Focus on writing, not just reading
  • Frequent updates with new features
Features
Read full description

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

Kanji Study4 screens
Ringotan2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Kanji Study's 8. Ringotan also leads on review sentiment (96% vs 67%) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 17.5). Kanji Study's advantage is ratings volume (7.3K vs 574). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Kanji Study sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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 7.3K ratings behind it against 574, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Kanji Study's written reviews are positive against 96% of Ringotan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, Ringotan every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Kanji Study versus Ringotan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKanji StudyRingotan
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (7.3K ratings)4.9 (574 ratings) — better
Positive reviews67.5% of reviews95.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.3K — better574
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 3 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.512.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size140 MB206 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuli Languages LLCDaniel Pflughoeft

Customer experience

Kanji Study

All ratings7,275 ratings
Positive94.3%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews861 reviews
Positive67.5%
Neutral12.2%
Negative20.3%

Ringotan

All ratings567 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.2%

User reviews

Kanji Study

From 7.3K App Store ratings

What 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 574 App Store ratings

What 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

6 purchases

Kanji Study

One-time6
  • Level 1$9.99
  • Level 2$12.99
  • Level 3$14.99
Show 3 more
  • Level 4$14.99
  • Level 5$14.99
  • All Levels3 variants$29.99
None

Ringotan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kanji Study free?
Kanji Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ringotan free?
Ringotan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Kanji Study or Ringotan?
Ringotan is rated higher. Kanji Study averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.3K ratings, while Ringotan averages 4.9 from 574 ratings.
Do Kanji Study or Ringotan have ads?
Neither Kanji Study nor Ringotan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Kanji Study or Ringotan?
Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, Kanji Study was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ringotan on October 24, 2026.

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