# Start Japanese vs Nihongo JLPT

The clearest difference is ads: Start Japanese at none against Nihongo JLPT's shown. Start Japanese also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Start Japanese ships an update every 4 days, Nihongo JLPT every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Start Japanese | Nihongo JLPT |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-japanese/id1462867040/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 6 days |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 7 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Koji Nakano](https://appshunter.io/developer/1455590351) | [imamura yuto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1854645005) |

## What reviewers say

### Start Japanese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/start-japanese/id1462867040)

Learn Japanese from scratch with easy-to-understand illustrations and a step-by-step approach. This app makes practicing characters and common phrases fun, like a game, and is suitable for absolute beginners.

**Highlights:** Easy-to-see illustrations, Spacious layouts, Fun, game-like learning, Activity guides, Step-by-step learning, Customized courses

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Nihongo JLPT

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-jlpt/id6755577044)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Start Japanese free?

Start Japanese is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Nihongo JLPT free?

Nihongo JLPT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Start Japanese or Nihongo JLPT have ads?

Nihongo JLPT shows ads; Start Japanese does not.

### Which is updated more often, Start Japanese or Nihongo JLPT?

Start Japanese ships an update every 4 days, and Nihongo JLPT every 6 days. Most recently, Start Japanese was updated on October 24, 2026 and Nihongo JLPT on October 9, 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.*