Comparison

Satori Reader vs Tabilingo

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

Head to head
About

Satori Reader

Enhance your Japanese reading and listening skills with engaging stories written by native speakers. Features adaptive kanji, smart definitions, and spaced repetition to build vocabulary. Get clarity with friendly annotations and human feedback.

Highlights
  • Compelling stories by native speakers
  • Audio narration by voice actors
  • Adaptive kanji presentation
  • Smart word definitions
  • Friendly annotations
  • Spaced repetition vocabulary review
  • Human feedback and support
Features
Read full description

Ready to take your Japanese reading and listening comprehension to the next level? Welcome to Satori Reader. COMPELLING STORIES Read from a growing library of engrossing stories written by native speakers for intermediate students, across genres such as fantasy, slice-of-life, thrillers, documentaries, news, and more. AUDIO Tap any sentence to hear it read aloud by native voice actors (no robots!). ADAPTIVE KANJI USAGE Crack the chicken-and-egg problem of reading kanji with our unique presentation engine, which adjusts the Japanese text to accommodate your actual knowledge. This allows you to challenge yourself for the kanji you should know without being overwhelmed by what you don't. SMART DEFINITIONS Tap any word for a definition. This is more than just an automated lookup. Satori Reader shows the actual sense of each word as it's being used in the sentence. For example, the particle の has many uses: it can indicate possession; it can turn the preceding verb or phrase into a noun; it can stand in for another word; and more. We show you exactly what is happening in every instance of every word. FRIENDLY ANNOTATIONS Gray underlines indicate longer annotations that break down tricky expressions, provide cultural background, or help you to read between the lines. Our editors work hard to anticipate what might be confusing and proactively help you to make sense of things. Good-bye, confusion. Hello, clarity! SPACED REPETITION SYSTEM (SRS) The built-in spaced repetition review system helps you to build your vocabulary. Create review cards instantly as you read. Each card you create takes along a snapshot of the sentence in which you encountered the word, further helping to cement it in your memory. You can even play back the audio of that sentence while reviewing the word! HUMAN FEEDBACK Still confused about something? Just ask in the discussion section below each episode. Our team of friendly human beings is ready to help. Satori Reader is built by a team that cares. Our goal is to bring satori (enlightenment) into your Japanese reading life. Set up a free account today, and let's get started. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS ▪ OPTIONS: Download the app for free and enjoy unlimited access to the first two episodes of each series (new series released regularly), plus complete access to special series such as Closeup: Obon Society. Subscribed for unlimited access to the entire Satori Reader library of more than 1200 episodes (new episodes released each week), including crystal-clear audio, helpful annotations, and real human feedback. Try your first month FREE (limit one per customer; cannot be used in combination with other introductory offers; offers subject to change). ▪ EXTRAS: Your subscription to Satori Reader comes with complimentary web access, as well as access to Satori Reader on all your smartphones and tablets. ▪ PRIVACY POLICY: https://www.satorireader.com/privacy ▪ TERMS OF SERVICE: https://www.satorireader.com/terms ADDITIONAL SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS ▪ Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase (following any trial period). ▪ Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. ▪ Account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. ▪ Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. ▪ Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. ▪ Cancel your subscription at any time. If you cancel, you will retain full access to Satori Reader for the period you paid for and you will not be billed again. If you have any questions, write to support@satorireader.com for speedy assistance. Thank you for your business!

About

Tabilingo

Features
Read full description

Tabilingo teaches you a language on the things you will actually meet on a trip. Menus, station signs, tickets, vending machines and small talk at the counter, all brought to life as detailed illustrated scenes. You read them, tap them and say your lines out loud. Pick your journey: Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Spanish or French. Every journey is 30 levels that take you from your first hello to feeling at home. HOW IT WORKS Every stop on the map is a scene from the journey. A cafe counter, a ticket machine, a crowded platform, drawn with all the detail of the real thing. You learn a handful of words, use them right away and clear a short mission to open the next stop. SPEAK FROM DAY ONE Conversations are scenes around town. The barista greets you and then it is your turn. You answer with your voice and the app scores your pronunciation. Three levels of help, from full support to no text at all. COLLECT THE CHARACTERS Hiragana, katakana and over 2000 kanji. Hangul and hanzi too. Each character is a card you train by eye, by ear and by typing. Short guided courses target the classic traps, like the characters everyone mixes up. TRAIN FOR THE EXAM Trainers for JLPT, TOPIK, HSK, DELE and DELF drill the official question formats and track your section scores. Honest coverage estimates, no false promises. ONE CHALLENGE EVERY DAY A fresh illustrated sign or menu, the same for everyone, free forever. Fifteen questions, one shot a day. Terms of Use: https://tabilingo.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://tabilingo.com/privacy

Screenshots

Satori Reader4 screens
Tabilingo4 screens

Verdict

The call

Satori Reader and Tabilingo are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both are free to download. Satori Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and Tabilingo sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Satori Reader versus Tabilingo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSatori ReaderTabilingo
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (219 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings219 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size81 MB2 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBrak Software, Inc.TigerDesign

Bugs and requests

Satori Reader

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login issues and account creation problems
  • Syncing and loading delays on some devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to loop audio playback
  • Kanji lookup/learning tools integration
  • More advanced/diverse content selection

Tabilingo

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Satori Reader

Subscriptions3
  • Satori Reader Monthly1 Month trial4 variants$8.991 Month
  • Satori Reader Annual1 Month trial$89.991 Year
  • Satori Reader Annual1 Year trial3 variants$89.991 Year
1 purchases

Tabilingo

Subscriptions1
  • Tabilingo Pro7 Days trial$9.991 Month

Questions

Is Satori Reader free?
Satori Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tabilingo free?
Tabilingo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Satori Reader or Tabilingo have ads?
Neither Satori Reader nor Tabilingo shows ads.

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