# Coban vs Rakulingo

The clearest difference is ads: Rakulingo at none against Coban's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coban sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Rakulingo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Coban ships an update weekly, Rakulingo every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Coban | Rakulingo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (621 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coban-learn-japanese/id1506009508/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **621** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 661 MB | 160 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Akira NOGUCHI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1506009507) | [Antonio Scandaroli](https://appshunter.io/developer/687617684) |

## What reviewers say

### Coban

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coban-learn-japanese/id1506009508)

This app offers comprehensive support for learning Japanese, covering everything from basic characters to advanced grammar and vocabulary. It includes audio pronunciations, diverse learning modes like flashcards and exercises, and content tailored for all proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced.

**Highlights:** Hiragana, katakana, kanji, and vocabulary, JLPT N5-N3 grammar coverage, Audio pronunciation for all content, Flashcards and practice exercises, Shadowing and dictation exercises, Japanese stories and cultural readings, Advanced podcasts for N2/N1 learners

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium User | $6.99 | per month |
| Premium User | $39.90 | per 6 months |
| Premium User | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Upgrade | $59.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime Access | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Cute and genuinely helpful
- 🚀 Great app for learning Japanese
- 🤩 Engaging and fun to use
- 💯 Best kanji practice
- 🙌 Excellent for N5 and N4 levels

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔇 Volume issues with audio
- 💰 Subscription model with lack of lifetime purchase
- 🤯 Confusing UI and navigation at times
- 🤔 Wonky translations and quiz issues

**Reported bugs**

- Drag and drop feature not working
- Crashes after completing quizzes
- Vocabulary lessons causing the app to freeze

**Requested features**

- Expand to higher JLPT levels (N3, N2, N1)
- Add a placement test to determine user's level
- Improve vocabulary practice and review options
- Offer an ad-free version for a one-time purchase


### Rakulingo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rakulingo/id6738965075)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Access to premium AI | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Access to premium AI | $9.99 | per month |
| Access to premium AI | $95.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Coban free?

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

### Is Rakulingo free?

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

### Do Coban or Rakulingo have ads?

Coban shows ads; Rakulingo does not.

### Which is updated more often, Coban or Rakulingo?

Coban ships an update weekly, and Rakulingo every 2 weeks. Most recently, Coban was updated on October 29, 2026 and Rakulingo on October 30, 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.*