# Skritter vs Ringotan

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Skritter's 11. Ringotan also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Skritter sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 170 and 574 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Skritter's written reviews are positive against 96% of Ringotan's.

Skritter ships an update monthly, Ringotan every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Skritter | Ringotan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (170 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skritter-write-japanese/id1370893674/reviews) | **[4.9 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 170 | **574** |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | **95.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 54 MB | 206 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Inkren, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/402280587) | [Daniel Pflughoeft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633001066) |

## What reviewers say

### Skritter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skritter-write-japanese/id1370893674)

Master Japanese writing with this app, offering practice for Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji. Learn through topic-based decks, from travel essentials to cultural themes. Ideal for beginners and those looking to improve character recall.

**Highlights:** Learn Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji, Topic-based learning decks, Practice character drawing, Beginner to advanced levels, Review mode, Guest access to select decks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $9.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (1 Month) | $14.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $14.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (1 month) | $14.99 | per month |
| Skritter Premium (6 Months) | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (6 month) | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (6 month) | $69.99 | per 6 months |
| Skritter Premium (1 Year) | $99.99 | per year |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $99.99 | per year |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $99.99 | per year |
| Skritter Premium (1 year) | $119.99 | 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 Skritter free?

Skritter 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, Skritter or Ringotan?

Ringotan is rated higher. Skritter averages 4.6 out of 5 from 170 ratings, while Ringotan averages 4.9 from 574 ratings.

### Do Skritter or Ringotan have ads?

Neither Skritter nor Ringotan shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Skritter or Ringotan?

Skritter ships an update monthly, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, Skritter was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ringotan on October 24, 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.*