Ringotan vs Immersion Reader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ringotan
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.
- Learn Kanji by writing
- Advanced input detection
- Spaced repetition system (SRS)
- Focus on writing, not just reading
- Frequent updates with new features
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Learn Kanji by actually writing it! Ringotan is the first app built from the ground up to teach you how to WRITE Japanese Kanji, not just read them. By combining advanced input detection with industry-standard SRS (spaced repetition) algorithms, Ringotan ensures you learn as fully and quickly as possible. ----------------- Ringotan is free for a limited time. We update frequently, so be sure to check back for new features!
Immersion Reader
Easily look up Japanese words while reading ebooks with a single tap. Import custom dictionaries and export saved vocabulary for spaced repetition learning. Offers customizable themes for a comfortable reading experience.
- One-tap word lookup in Japanese ebooks
- Import Yomichan and frequency dictionaries
- Export vocabulary to Anki
- Light and dark mode themes
- Lookup neighboring words
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Look up Japanese words as you read! Features - One tap to look up words in Japanese Ebooks. Tabs to help you look up neighboring words - Import Yomichan dictionaries and frequency dictionaries - Export saved vocabulary to Anki via Anki Dojo - Light mode, dark mode, and other themes for the dictionary
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Ringotan at 4.9 against Immersion Reader's 4.0. Ringotan also leads on review sentiment (98% vs 62%) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and 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
Both are free to download. Immersion Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ringotan has 567 ratings behind it against 26, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 98% of Ringotan's written reviews are positive against 62% of Immersion Reader's.
Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, Immersion Reader every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 16, 2026 and July 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ringotan | Immersion Reader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (567 ratings) — better | 4.0 (26 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 97.6% of reviews — better | 61.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 567 — better | 26 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 6 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Pflughoeft | Mathew Chan |
Customer experience
Ringotan
Immersion Reader
Bugs and requests
Ringotan
Reported bugs
2 issues- Occasional issues with stroke order recognition
- Some kanji pronunciations not accurately represented
Requested features
5 requests- 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
Immersion Reader
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
Immersion Reader
- Immersion Reader Premium$4.99
