# Kanji Now vs Ringotan

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Kanji Now's 2. Ringotan also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 weeks). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kanji Now sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kanji Now ships an update every 3 weeks, Ringotan every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kanji Now | Ringotan |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **574** |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **95.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 271 MB | 206 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.2** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NOWPRODUCTION, CO.,LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/306269845) | [Daniel Pflughoeft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633001066) |

## What reviewers say

### Kanji Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-now/id1623516908)

Master Japanese Kanji with this free, interactive study tool. Learn through stroke-order practice, reading, writing, and engaging quizzes. Ideal for all levels, including JLPT preparation.

**Highlights:** Study Kanji by grade level, Stroke-order learning, Hand-writing Kanji dictionary, Over 1,000 Kanji quizzes, JLPT exam preparation, Learn four-character idioms

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove advertisements | $0.49 | one-time |
| Additional kanji and hide AD | $1.99 | one-time |


### Ringotan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064)

Master Japanese Kanji by practicing writing. This app uses advanced input detection and spaced repetition to help you learn quickly and effectively. Focuses on the physical act of writing characters, not just recognition.

**Highlights:** Learn Kanji by writing, Advanced input detection, Spaced repetition system (SRS), Focus on writing, not just reading, Frequent updates with new features

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective kanji learning system
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔓 No ads or paywalls
- 💡 Customizable settings and integration with other resources
- 🎨 Visually pleasing and engaging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔍 Keyword hints not always clear enough
- 🔀 Limited ability to customize word lists
- 🔆 Light mode only, no dark mode option
- 🔍 Difficulty identifying which kanji is being tested at times

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional issues with stroke order recognition
- Some kanji pronunciations not accurately represented

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Allow users to create and save custom kanji lists
- Provide more detailed keyword hints before writing
- Implement device sync to continue progress across platforms
- Add notification system to remind users of upcoming reviews


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kanji Now free?

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

### Is Ringotan free?

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

### Do Kanji Now or Ringotan have ads?

Kanji Now shows ads; Ringotan does not.

### Which is updated more often, Kanji Now or Ringotan?

Kanji Now ships an update every 3 weeks, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, Kanji Now was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ringotan on October 24, 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.*