GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. vs Nihongo Master Dictionary
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.
Master 317 basic kanji through over 1,100 vocabulary words. This app offers a self-paced learning experience with memorization, self-checking, audio pronunciations, and stroke order animations. Track your progress and focus on challenging kanji for efficient study.
- Learn 317 basic kanji
- Study over 1,100 kanji words
- Audio recordings for vocabulary
- Stroke order animations
- Progress tracking
- Memorization and self-checking modes
- Bookmark favorite words
Read full descriptionHide full description
Learn basic kanji through kanji words: GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. is an app that helps users become able to recognize 317 basic kanji by studying more than 1,100 kanji words at their own pace! This is the official iPhone app from the 3rd edition of GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, a best-selling series of Japanese learning materials boasting more than 3.5 million copies sold. Advantages ◆ Users can view the kanji words as they like, enabling them to study at their own pace. ◆ By repeating a process of memorization and self-checking, learners can master readings of kanji words and recognition of basic kanji. ◆ Audio recordings have been newly added for each kanji word. ◆ Kanji words already mastered are progressively removed from the study set, so users can concentrate on just the kanji that challenge them, making for a more efficient approach to learning. *This app will not play audio if your device is in Silent mode (Vibrate mode). To hear the audio, please turn Silent mode off. Study methods and functions This app has three main modes: Study, Check, and List. ◇ “Study” allows users to view the kanji words, their readings, and the target kanji for each word over and over, so they can take their time learning. ・Audio recordings of natural pronunciations by native speakers are provided for all kanji words. ・Basic information on the target kanji is provided with fun illustrations and mnemonic hints, as well as animations of their stroke order. (The illustrations and hints are taken from the very popular learning resource “Kanji Look and Learn.”) ・Users can bookmark the kanji words they like. The bookmarked words are compiled in the Bookmark list in "List." ◇ “Check” helps learners to track their mastery. ・Users check their understanding of the kanji words studied and sort them into those mastered and those not yet retained. ・The kanji words already mastered are taken out of the study set, leaving behind just those that still need to be worked on. ◇ “List” displays various lists of all the words and kanji covered by the app so that users can see their progress and review them. ・In the lists arranged in lesson order, a-i-u-e-o order, or alphabetical order, checkmarks are automatically placed next to words that have been mastered. ・Kanji information on the cards can be displayed from the entries in the On/Kun list. ・Users can search kanji words from their target kanji in the Serial # list. ・The words bookmarked in the Study mode are also listed in the Bookmark list. ・The Study view of kanji words or the target kanji can be displayed from the list entries, enabling quick review. ○This app is based on the kanji list from the third edition of GENKI. ○Ads: The app does not display any ads that might interfere with learning.
Nihongo Master Dictionary
This Japanese dictionary app helps users quickly find words and kanji with example sentences and JLPT levels. Create custom study lists and use flashcards to build vocabulary. It also offers popular study lists for common situations like travel and work.
- Word and kanji lookup
- Example sentences
- Related kanji information
- JLPT level indicators
- Custom study lists
- Flashcard vocabulary builder
- Popular situational study lists
Read full descriptionHide full description
Nihongo Master Dictionary is a fast, beautiful, and completely offline Japanese–English dictionary — built for learners at every level, from your first hiragana to JLPT N1. Look up any of 190,000+ words and 6,000+ kanji in an instant, with no internet connection required. Everything lives on your device, so it's always fast and always available — on the train, on a plane, or anywhere. SEARCH ANY WAY YOU THINK • Search in English, Japanese, or rōmaji (type "taberu" or 食べる) • Smart search understands conjugated verbs — 食べました finds 食べる • Results ranked by how common words actually are MASTER KANJI • 6,000+ kanji with meanings, readings, and JLPT level • Watch stroke-order animations, then practice writing with guided feedback • Find any kanji by its radicals • Listen to native pronunciation for many readings UNDERSTAND REAL JAPANESE • Full conjugation tables for every verb and adjective • Paste in a sentence and tap any word to break it down • Real-world example sentences show words in context STUDY & REMEMBER • Star your favorites and revisit recent lookups • Build custom study lists, or add popular community lists • Review with built-in spaced repetition so it sticks Nihongo Master Dictionary is free, supported by ads. A one-time in-app purchase removes ads forever. Ready to go beyond the dictionary? Nihongo Master offers full structured Japanese lessons at nihongomaster.com.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Nihongo Master Dictionary at 67% against GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.'s 19%. Nihongo Master Dictionary also leads on price (Free vs $6.99) and rating (4.4 vs 2.7). GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Nihongo Master Dictionary is free to download; GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. costs $6.99 up front. Nihongo Master Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. asks for nothing beyond the download.
Nihongo Master Dictionary holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 21 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.'s written reviews are positive against 67% of Nihongo Master Dictionary's.
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. ships an update every 7 months, Nihongo Master Dictionary every 21 months. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. | Nihongo Master Dictionary |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $6.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.7 (21 ratings) | 4.4 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 19.0% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months — better | Every 21 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | #42 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 99 MB | 242 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Japan Times Publishing, Ltd. | Nihongo Master |
Customer experience
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.
Nihongo Master Dictionary
In-app purchases
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.
No in-app purchases
Nihongo Master Dictionary
- Remove Ads$0.99
Questions
Is GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. free?
Is Nihongo Master Dictionary free?
Which has better reviews, GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary?
Do GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary have ads?
Which is updated more often, GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary?
Other comparisons







![Katakana Memory Hint [English] Katakana Memory Hint [English]](https://cdn3.appshunter.io/i/Purple126/d046622f4fa0efa6be2fc09555c396dc/AppIcon-1-0-0-1x_U007emarketing-0-6-85-220.png/512x0w.png)







