# Kanji Study vs Nihongo Lessons

The clearest difference is update cadence: Kanji Study at every 2 days against Nihongo Lessons's every 3 weeks. Kanji Study also leads on ratings volume (7.2K vs 126). Nihongo Lessons's advantage is review sentiment (85% vs 69%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kanji Study sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Nihongo Lessons sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Kanji Study against 4.8 for Nihongo Lessons. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kanji Study has 7.2K ratings behind it against 126, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Kanji Study's written reviews are positive against 85% of Nihongo Lessons's.

Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, Nihongo Lessons every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kanji Study | Nihongo Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (7.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-study-learn-japanese/id1078107994/reviews) | **[4.8 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-lessons/id1640204242/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7.2K** | 126 |
| Positive reviews | 69.4% of reviews | **84.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 258 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **17** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Luli Languages LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/972910241) | [Serpenti Sei Japan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767544234) |

## What reviewers say

### Kanji Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-study-learn-japanese/id1078107994)

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.

**Highlights:** Vocabulary-first kanji learning, Writing lessons with stroke detection, Spaced repetition reviews, Full JLPT N5-N1 coverage, Audio pronunciation, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Level 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Level 2 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Level 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Level 4 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Level 5 | $14.99 | one-time |
| All Levels | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for learning kanji
- 👍 Effective review system
- 💡 Organized by JLPT levels
- 👍 Affordable one-time purchase
- 👍 Helps with writing practice and muscle memory

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- Certain kanji not recognized correctly
- App crashing or freezing, especially during long review sessions
- Progress not syncing across devices

**Requested features**

- 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)


### Nihongo Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-lessons/id1640204242)

This app helps learners of all levels achieve Japanese fluency. It uses a flashcard format to teach vocabulary, grammar, and writing systems, with advanced spaced repetition for effective retention. Content is sourced from real manga for advanced learners.

**Highlights:** Learn Hiragana and Katakana, 7000+ handcrafted sentences, Professional voice actor audio, Advanced Spaced Repetition System (SRS), Vocabulary and grammar from manga, Flashcard learning format

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| All Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Beginner Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Champion Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Expert Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Master Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Deck (Discounted) | $83.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Deck (Discounted) | $101.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Deck | $119.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $149.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $254.99 | one-time |
| All Decks | $299.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $299.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kanji Study free?

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

### Is Nihongo Lessons free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Kanji Study or Nihongo Lessons?

Nihongo Lessons is rated higher. Kanji Study averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Nihongo Lessons averages 4.8 from 126 ratings.

### Do Kanji Study or Nihongo Lessons have ads?

Neither Kanji Study nor Nihongo Lessons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kanji Study or Nihongo Lessons?

Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, and Nihongo Lessons every 3 weeks. Most recently, Kanji Study was updated on September 25, 2026 and Nihongo Lessons on September 14, 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.*