# Bunpo vs Rakulingo

Bunpo and Rakulingo are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. Bunpo sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Rakulingo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bunpo ships an update every 9 days, Rakulingo every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bunpo | Rakulingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (18K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bunpo-language-learning/id1279720052/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **18K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 72.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 247 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Bunpo Language Learning](https://appshunter.io/developer/1279720051) | [Antonio Scandaroli](https://appshunter.io/developer/687617684) |

## What reviewers say

### Bunpo

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

Master speaking, grammar, and vocabulary in over 10 languages with advanced speech recognition and personalized study plans. Progress from beginner to advanced levels with clear explanations and interactive exercises. Learn for travel, career, or personal enrichment.

**Highlights:** Speech recognition for speaking practice, Support for 10+ languages, Detailed grammar explanations, Personalized spaced repetition reviews, Offline learning for select languages, JLPT level preparation

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bunpo Plus Monthly | $9.99 | 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 | $99.99 | 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


### Rakulingo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rakulingo/id6738965075)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Access to premium AI | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Access to premium AI | $9.99 | per month |
| Access to premium AI | $95.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bunpo free?

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

### Is Rakulingo free?

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

### Do Bunpo or Rakulingo have ads?

Neither Bunpo nor Rakulingo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bunpo or Rakulingo?

Bunpo ships an update every 9 days, and Rakulingo every 2 weeks. Most recently, Bunpo was updated on November 3, 2026 and Rakulingo on October 30, 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.*