# Za vs Nihongo Lessons

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Za at none against Nihongo Lessons's 10. Nihongo Lessons's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 7 months) and ratings volume (129 vs 12). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nihongo Lessons sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Za asks for nothing beyond the download.

Nihongo Lessons holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nihongo Lessons has 129 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of Za's written reviews are positive against 85% of Nihongo Lessons's.

Za ships an update every 7 months, Nihongo Lessons every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Za | Nihongo Lessons |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/za-scrabble-word-lookup/id1159847785/reviews) | **[4.8 (129 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-lessons/id1640204242/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 12 | **129** |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | **84.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 4 MB | 258 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jacob Parker](https://appshunter.io/developer/1153284524) | [Serpenti Sei Japan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767544234) |

## What reviewers say

### Za

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/za-scrabble-word-lookup/id1159847785)

Instantly verify if a word is valid according to the SCOWL 80 dictionary. Get clear definitions for any word you look up, enhancing your vocabulary and Scrabble game.

**Highlights:** SCOWL 80 dictionary check, Word definitions, Vocabulary enhancement, Scrabble game aid

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| All Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Beginner Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Master Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | 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 |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for learning Japanese
- 🚀 Well-structured and effective learning format
- 💡 Tailors lessons to user goals
- 👍 Draws from real-life material
- 👍 More intense and serious than Duolingo

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Very expensive to unlock content
- 💰 High cost for full unlock
- 💰 Unlocking sections is costly
- 💰 Pricing is a bit rough
- 💰 Content is repetitive and not varied enough

**Reported bugs**

- Explanation modal flashed and cannot be brought back
- Unclear how to interact with cards (swiping direction)

**Requested features**

- Add notifications
- Add a way to add own notecards for review
- Add meaning and context for some words in dictionary
- Add monthly subscriptions or lower prices
- Add Kanji section


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Za free?

Za is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Nihongo Lessons free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Za or Nihongo Lessons?

Nihongo Lessons is rated higher. Za averages 4.6 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Nihongo Lessons averages 4.8 from 129 ratings.

### Do Za or Nihongo Lessons have ads?

Neither Za nor Nihongo Lessons shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Za or Nihongo Lessons?

Za ships an update every 7 months, and Nihongo Lessons every 3 weeks. Most recently, Za was updated on November 2, 2026 and Nihongo Lessons on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*