Comparison

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.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Currently charting
Read 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.

About

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.

Highlights
  • Word and kanji lookup
  • Example sentences
  • Related kanji information
  • JLPT level indicators
  • Custom study lists
  • Flashcard vocabulary builder
  • Popular situational study lists
Features
Read 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

GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.4 screens
Nihongo Master Dictionary4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

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.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. versus Nihongo Master Dictionary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.Nihongo Master Dictionary
Price$6.99Free — better
Rating2.7 (21 ratings)4.4 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews19.0% of reviews66.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings21 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 7 months — betterEvery 21 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#42 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB242 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Japan Times Publishing, Ltd.Nihongo Master

Customer experience

GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.

All ratings21 ratings
Positive38.1%
Neutral9.5%
Negative52.4%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive19.0%
Neutral14.3%
Negative66.7%

Nihongo Master Dictionary

All ratings5 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed.

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Nihongo Master Dictionary

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$0.99

Questions

Is GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. free?
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nihongo Master Dictionary free?
Nihongo Master Dictionary is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary?
Nihongo Master Dictionary is rated higher. GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. averages 2.7 out of 5 from 21 ratings, while Nihongo Master Dictionary averages 4.4 from 5 ratings.
Do GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary have ads?
Nihongo Master Dictionary shows ads; GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. does not.
Which is updated more often, GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. or Nihongo Master Dictionary?
GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. ships an update every 7 months, and Nihongo Master Dictionary every 21 months. Most recently, GENKI Kanji for 3rd Ed. was updated on October 18, 2026 and Nihongo Master Dictionary on October 3, 2026.

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