Comparison

Kanji Study vs Learn Japanese

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Vocabulary-first kanji learning
  • Writing lessons with stroke detection
  • Spaced repetition reviews
  • Full JLPT N5-N1 coverage
  • Audio pronunciation
  • 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

Learn Japanese

This app offers free video lessons for learning Japanese, covering basic language, challenges, and street Japanese. Track your progress with daily check-ins and share your thoughts with other learners. Developed by a qualified instructor, it's optimized for iOS devices.

Highlights
  • Free Japanese video lessons
  • Basic language instruction
  • 30-day learning challenge
  • Street Japanese phrases
  • Daily progress tracking
  • Instructor-led content
Features
Read full description

Free Japanese Video Lessons INCLUDES: * How To Learn Japanese * Basic Japanese Language Lessons * Japanese Language Lessons * Learning Japanese 30 Days Chanllenge * Learn Japanese Basic 1-2 * Streets Japanese Language You can also daily checkin to record your learning progress and share your opinion with others MORE: * Optimized for iPhone, iPad * Developed, performed and taught by a qualified instructor Get it! Become Japanese Expert!

Screenshots

Kanji Study4 screens
Learn Japanese4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Kanji Study at none against Learn Japanese's shown. Kanji Study also leads on ratings volume (7.2K vs 22) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). Learn Japanese's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 69%) and iOS requirement (12 vs 17.5). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Kanji Study sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Learn Japanese sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kanji Study holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kanji Study has 7.2K ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of Kanji Study's written reviews are positive against 100% of Learn Japanese's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, Learn Japanese every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Kanji Study versus Learn Japanese: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKanji StudyLearn Japanese
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (7.2K ratings) — better4.4 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews69.4% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7.2K — better22
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 5 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.512 — better
Further details — not scored
Size131 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLuli Languages LLC旭 戴

Customer experience

Kanji Study

All ratings7,151 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.2%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews520 reviews
Positive69.4%
Neutral13.3%
Negative17.3%

Learn Japanese

All ratings22 ratings
Positive86.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.6%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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)

Learn Japanese

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
1 purchases

Learn Japanese

One-time1
  • Remove App's Ads(Lifetime)$1.99

Questions

Is Kanji Study free?
Kanji Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Learn Japanese free?
Learn Japanese is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Kanji Study or Learn Japanese?
Kanji Study is rated higher. Kanji Study averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.2K ratings, while Learn Japanese averages 4.4 from 22 ratings.
Do Kanji Study or Learn Japanese have ads?
Learn Japanese shows ads; Kanji Study does not.
Which is updated more often, Kanji Study or Learn Japanese?
Kanji Study ships an update every 2 days, and Learn Japanese every 5 days. Most recently, Kanji Study was updated on September 22, 2026 and Learn Japanese on June 1, 2026.

Other comparisons