Comparison

HelloJapanese vs Nihon.go

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

Head to head
About

HelloJapanese

Learn Japanese through audio lessons, common phrases, and vocabulary. This app covers grammar, alphabets, and includes unique sound words with explanations. It's designed for easy learning with interactive elements.

Highlights
  • Audio lessons for easy learning
  • Common daily phrases and sentences
  • Vocabulary building with explanations
  • Japanese grammar instruction
  • Learn Hiragana and Katakana
  • Onomatopoeia and imitative words
Features
Read full description

"Hello Japanese" is a program of Japanese language lessons produced by Japan's public broadcaster, NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN. - Learn the Japanese easily through audio lessons. This feature need a internet connection but you can learn Japanese communication easier. - Learn Japanese conversation with common daily phrases and sentences. - Learn Japanese new words in each lesson. Each lesson have about 5 - 15 vocabulary with the explanation. This will help you to learn vocabulary easier. - Learn Japanese grammar. Each lesson have some grammar points. - Learn Japanese in 17 language. - Learn Japanese Alphabet (Hiragana and Katana) - [Sound Words] Onomatopoeia and imitative words describing persons or things are introduced with audio and illustrations. - [Teach Us, Teacher] The lesson supervisor, Assoc. Prof. Akane Tokunaga, explains important learning points in the lesson.

About

Nihon.go

Features
Read full description

Study Japanese vocabulary for your own goal—exam preparation, everyday conversation, business conversation, and more. Words you answer incorrectly are saved automatically, so you can review your weak points all at once later. [AI Quiz] Based on the occupation, role, and goals you set, AI automatically generates fill-in-the-blank Japanese questions. AI features are available only when a Groq API key is set. With Groq's free tier, you can try the AI features without registering a credit card. *Groq's terms and usage limits are subject to change. [Main Features] - Learn Japanese words by level - Learn everyday conversation words - Automatic recording of incorrect words - Review words you previously got wrong - Create your own list - Word search - File import / export - Check words with example sentences and notes - Report a word whose translation seems off, on the spot - Generate example sentences using quiz words (when an API key is set) - AI quiz (free plan: up to 10 questions per day) - Stroke-order tracing practice for hiragana and katakana - A forum to exchange opinions about learning Japanese - A mini-game for a quick break [With Premium] - Remove ads - No limit on AI quizzes (subject to Groq's limits) Make it part of your daily Japanese study, exam preparation, and building conversational vocabulary. *"Nihongo Kentei" is a registered trademark of the Japanese Language Testing Council (NPO). *This app is operated by an independent developer and has no affiliation with the Japanese Language Testing Council.

Screenshots

HelloJapanese4 screens
Nihon.go4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Nihon.go at Free against HelloJapanese's $9.99. Nihon.go also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 48 months). HelloJapanese's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Nihon.go is free to download; HelloJapanese costs $9.99 up front. Nihon.go sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. HelloJapanese asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HelloJapanese ships an update every 48 months, Nihon.go weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
HelloJapanese versus Nihon.go: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHelloJapaneseNihon.go
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (12 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 48 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size14 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPham Van TuanRyosuke Minagawa

In-app purchases

None

HelloJapanese

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nihon.go

One-time1
  • Premium$1.99

Questions

Is HelloJapanese free?
HelloJapanese costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nihon.go free?
Nihon.go is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do HelloJapanese or Nihon.go have ads?
Neither HelloJapanese nor Nihon.go shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HelloJapanese or Nihon.go?
HelloJapanese ships an update every 48 months, and Nihon.go weekly. Most recently, HelloJapanese was updated on October 25, 2026 and Nihon.go on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons