# Learn Japanese vs Ringotan

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Learn Japanese's 7. Ringotan also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (96% vs 74%). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Learn Japanese sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 226 and 567 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Learn Japanese's written reviews are positive against 96% of Ringotan's.

Learn Japanese ships an update every 11 days, Ringotan every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Learn Japanese | Ringotan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-manabi-reader/id1247286380/reviews) | **[4.9 (567 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 226 | **567** |
| Positive reviews | 73.6% of reviews | **95.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 202 MB | 206 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [John A Ehlke](https://appshunter.io/developer/1180710625) | [Daniel Pflughoeft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633001066) |

## What reviewers say

### Learn Japanese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/learn-japanese-manabi-reader/id1247286380)

Enhance your Japanese language skills by reading native content daily. This app offers one-tap word lookups with audio, automatic furigana, and flashcard creation to help you memorize new vocabulary. Track your progress with word and kanji tracking, and access curated reading materials or your own content.

**Highlights:** One-tap word lookups with audio, Automatic furigana, Flashcard creation and review, Word and kanji tracking, Curated and custom reading materials, EPUB ebook support, Offline-friendly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription (Student) | $4.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription (Student) | $12.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription (Student) | $14.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $39.99 | per year |


### Ringotan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective kanji learning system
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔓 No ads or paywalls
- 💡 Customizable settings and integration with other resources
- 🎨 Visually pleasing and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 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

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with stroke order recognition
- Some kanji pronunciations not accurately represented

**Requested features**

- 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Learn Japanese free?

Learn Japanese 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, Learn Japanese or Ringotan?

Ringotan is rated higher. Learn Japanese averages 4.5 out of 5 from 226 ratings, while Ringotan averages 4.9 from 567 ratings.

### Do Learn Japanese or Ringotan have ads?

Neither Learn Japanese nor Ringotan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Learn Japanese or Ringotan?

Learn Japanese ships an update every 11 days, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, Learn Japanese was updated on October 10, 2026 and Ringotan on October 9, 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.*