# Bunpo vs Japanese Basic

The clearest difference is rating: Bunpo at 4.9 against Japanese Basic's 3.5. Bunpo also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). Japanese Basic's advantage is iOS requirement (12.1 vs 16.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Bunpo sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Japanese Basic sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bunpo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bunpo has 18K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Bunpo ships an update every 9 days, Japanese Basic every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bunpo | Japanese Basic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bunpo-language-learning/id1279720052/reviews)** | [3.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-basic-nihongo/id1525602347/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 72.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 189 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bunpo Language Learning](https://appshunter.io/developer/1279720051) | [SHINGO MATSUO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1493414113) |

## What reviewers say

### Bunpo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bunpo-language-learning/id1279720052)

Master multiple languages with this comprehensive learning app. It offers detailed grammar explanations, vocabulary building, and smart review systems to help you progress from beginner to advanced levels. Learn Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese with interactive exercises and personalized study plans.

**Highlights:** Learn 6 languages, Master grammar with detailed explanations, Build vocabulary and kanji knowledge, Spaced repetition for smart review, Interactive quizzes and example sentences, Offline learning for Spanish, French, German, Chinese

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bunpo Plus Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Bunpo Platinum Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Bunpo Platinum Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Bunpo Plus Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Bunpo Plus Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Bunpo Platinum Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Bunpo Platinum Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Bunpo Plus Lifetime | $39.99 | one-time |
| Bunpo Plus Lifetime | $44.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Helpful for learning Japanese
- 👍 Well-designed and organized
- 👍 Explains grammar and usage well
- 👍 Customizable to learning needs
- 👍 Effective spaced repetition

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Too much content locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported
- 🐛 Issues with keyboard and text display
- 🐛 Inconsistencies in question answers
- 🔒 Lack of offline access to paid content

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes during lesson reviews
- Incorrect answers marked as wrong
- Text and keyboard issues on smaller screens
- Audio playback problems

**Requested features**

- Add landscape mode support for tablets
- Improve review options to revisit specific grammar points
- Expand vocabulary lessons and practice
- Add more languages beyond Japanese


### Japanese Basic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-basic-nihongo/id1525602347)

Learn basic Japanese vocabulary, characters, and phrases with this beginner-friendly app. It offers offline access, customizable pronunciation, and a red sheet function for effective memorization. Expand your learning with in-app purchases for additional words.

**Highlights:** Basic Japanese vocabulary and phrases, Hiragana and Katakana study, Offline access, Customizable pronunciation and audio speed, Red sheet memorization function, Verb conjugation guide, User vocabulary book

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Japanese Basic -Full Version- | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bunpo free?

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

### Is Japanese Basic free?

Japanese Basic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Bunpo or Japanese Basic?

Bunpo is rated higher. Bunpo averages 4.9 out of 5 from 18K ratings, while Japanese Basic averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Bunpo or Japanese Basic have ads?

Japanese Basic shows ads; Bunpo does not.

### Which is updated more often, Bunpo or Japanese Basic?

Bunpo ships an update every 9 days, and Japanese Basic every 3 months. Most recently, Bunpo was updated on September 25, 2026 and Japanese Basic on June 11, 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.*