Coban vs NihonMaster

Learn Japanese from hiragana to JLPT N1 with structured lessons for vocabulary, kanji, grammar, listening, reading, and review — all in one app. Coban is designed for learners who want to understand Japanese, not simply memorize it. Learn grammar and vocabulary in context, recognize patterns, and build the skills you need to understand and use Japanese naturally. — STUDY FROM N5 TO N1 Follow a structured learning path from beginner Japanese to advanced JLPT content. • 7,500+ vocabulary words • 2,100+ kanji • 490+ grammar points • 2,500+ example sentences • JLPT N5, N4, N3, N2, and N1 content — LEARN WITH AUDIO More than 12,000 audio recordings help you connect written Japanese with natural pronunciation. Listen to vocabulary and example sentences, practice shadowing, and strengthen your listening comprehension as you study. — REVIEW WHAT YOU LEARN Use quizzes and SRS review to reinforce vocabulary, kanji, and grammar and focus your study on what you need to remember. — STUDY JAPANESE OFFLINE Coban’s learning content is stored on your device, so you can continue studying even without an internet connection. — BUILT FOR REAL JAPANESE Coban goes beyond JLPT test preparation. Lessons are designed to help you see how Japanese works in context so you can apply what you learn to reading, listening, conversation, and everyday communication. Whether you are just starting Japanese or working toward JLPT N1, Coban gives you a complete Japanese study library you can keep using as your skills grow.

I'm Joppe. I built Nihon Master because I was learning Japanese and the apps I was using were not doing it for me. Duolingo got me started but I was not really learning past hiragana. Anki is great if you build your own deck. Wanikani is great for kanji. I wanted one place that actually teaches the language. So I built it for myself. A few friends started using it. Then strangers. Now it's here. This is not a flashcard deck, and it is not a gamified drill machine. It is a real curriculum backed by real tools, built specifically for Japanese, where kana and kanji are first-class instead of a language pack bolted on the side. What's inside. A guided journey from absolute beginner through JLPT N1. Hiragana, katakana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, reading practice. Every lesson has a clear point and you finish it knowing something you did not know an hour ago. Around 2,000 kanji with stroke animations, writing practice, and readings ordered by what you actually need first. Spaced repetition built on FSRS (the same algorithm Anki adopted in 2024) instead of the 1987 SM-2 formula most apps still ship. Twelve sub-skills tracked separately, so you can see whether your particles are fine and your kanji readings are the problem, instead of one meaningless overall number. Mock JLPT tests for every level, in the same shape as the real exam. Useful for the test itself and for figuring out where you actually stand. Native-quality Japanese audio on every vocabulary item, generated by VOICEVOX, an open-source Japanese TTS that does not sound like a robot. A sentence generator that builds sentences only from words and grammar you have already learned, so you never get jumped by kanji you have never seen. What's not inside. Streaks engineered to guilt you into opening the app at 11:59 PM. A heart system that locks you out until you wait or pay. A subscription that holds half the content behind a paywall. Ads of any kind. Everything works offline. No sign-in. No account. Your progress lives on your device. There are no servers, and that is intentional. I am one person making this in my spare time. If you have an idea, a feature request, a bug to report, or you just want to tell me which kanji is annoying you this week, please do. There is a Discord linked inside the app and an Instagram at @nihonmaster.official. I read everything. If Duolingo is working for you, honestly that is great, keep doing that. This app is for the people who tried Duolingo, kept the streak alive for six months, and realised they still could not read anything. Have fun with it. Let me know what you think. nihonmaster.com