# Kana Origin vs 暗礁词典

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 暗礁词典 at none against Kana Origin's 1. Kana Origin's advantage is ratings volume (377 vs 2) and review sentiment (98% vs 89%). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kana Origin sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 暗礁词典 asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Kana Origin against 5.0 for 暗礁词典. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kana Origin has 377 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of Kana Origin's written reviews are positive against 89% of 暗礁词典's.

Kana Origin ships an update every 2 months, 暗礁词典 monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kana Origin | 暗礁词典 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (377 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kana-origin/id1439222882/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6455496295/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **377** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **97.8% of reviews** | 88.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 77 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [楷雯 周](https://appshunter.io/developer/951710534) | [浩源 陈](https://appshunter.io/developer/1665506236) |

## What reviewers say

### Kana Origin

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kana-origin/id1439222882)

Explore the origins of Japanese kana and their connection to kanji. This app uses a multi-memory learning style, incorporating the forgetting curve and proficiency levels for effective review. It also includes a quick search function, spelling tests, and 3D word models to enhance understanding.

**Highlights:** Kana and kanji origins, Quick search checklist, Spaced repetition learning, Spelling tests, 3D word models, Apple Watch compatibility

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| KanaOrigin Pro | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great for beginners
- ✨ Clean and simple UI
- 🚀 Easy to learn Japanese
- 💯 Effective for learning 50 sounds
- 💰 Good value for lifetime membership

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 A bit expensive
- 🔠 Difficulty increasing font size
- ❓ Unclear difference between versions
- 📉 Content can become predictable
- 🤔 Some vocabulary lacks Chinese translation

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar module in notification center not displaying after update
- Eraser button in handwriting area is not working
- Handwriting area does not clear automatically when switching between Hiragana and Katakana
- Pronunciation audio not working
- Bug with 'Lemon' image preventing learning progress

**Requested features**

- Add word memorization feature
- Increase font size option
- Sync learning progress across devices (iOS/Android)
- Add dedicated learning section for numbers and dates
- Show correct romanization after pronunciation training


### 暗礁词典

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/id6455496295)

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kana Origin free?

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

### Is 暗礁词典 free?

暗礁词典 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Kana Origin or 暗礁词典?

暗礁词典 is rated higher. Kana Origin averages 4.9 out of 5 from 377 ratings, while 暗礁词典 averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Kana Origin or 暗礁词典 have ads?

Neither Kana Origin nor 暗礁词典 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Kana Origin or 暗礁词典?

Kana Origin ships an update every 2 months, and 暗礁词典 monthly. Most recently, Kana Origin was updated on November 6, 2026 and 暗礁词典 on November 3, 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.*