Ringotan vs Japanese Writer
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!
Japanese Writer
Practice Japanese handwriting with an engaging game. Learn Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji through guided stroke order and smart reviews. Unlock all levels with an optional upgrade.
- Handwriting practice game
- Learn Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji
- Guided stroke order
- Smart review system
- Character dictionary with pronunciation
- JLPT level progression
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Write. Learn. Remember. Characters fall from the top of the screen — can you write them before they hit the bottom? Japanese Writer turns handwriting practice into an engaging game. Learn to write Hiragana, Katakana, and over 2,000 Kanji from JLPT levels 5 to 1, with smart review that focuses on the characters you need most. • Guided stroke order: Trace each character step by step to master writing accuracy. • Smart review: Characters you miss reappear until you’ve truly learned them. • Character dictionary: Look up any character to hear pronunciations, view stroke order, and see real example words in use. • Learn at your pace: JLPT level 5 is free to play, with an optional upgrade to unlock everything. Join learners worldwide who are discovering the joy of writing Japanese — one stroke at a time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Japanese Writer's 2. Ringotan also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (574 vs 4). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Japanese Writer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ringotan has 574 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of Ringotan's written reviews are positive against 100% of Japanese Writer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, Japanese Writer every 4 months. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.
| Parameter | Ringotan | Japanese Writer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (574 ratings) — better | 4.8 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 574 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 4 months |
| 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 | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Pflughoeft | trainchinese B.V. |
Customer experience
Ringotan
Japanese Writer
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
Japanese Writer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
Japanese Writer
- Japanese Writer Subscription$1.991 Month
- Lifetime Upgrade$19.99
Questions
Is Ringotan free?
Is Japanese Writer free?
Which has better reviews, Ringotan or Japanese Writer?
Do Ringotan or Japanese Writer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ringotan or Japanese Writer?
Other comparisons
