# Ringotan vs Japanese Writer

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ringotan | Japanese Writer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064/reviews)** | [4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-writer/id6468586928/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **574** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 206 MB | 73 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 14.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Pflughoeft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633001066) | [trainchinese B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1443075140) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Japanese Writer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/japanese-writer/id6468586928)

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.

**Highlights:** Handwriting practice game, Learn Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji, Guided stroke order, Smart review system, Character dictionary with pronunciation, JLPT level progression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Japanese Writer Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Lifetime Upgrade | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ringotan free?

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

### Is Japanese Writer free?

Japanese Writer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ringotan or Japanese Writer?

Ringotan is rated higher. Ringotan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 574 ratings, while Japanese Writer averages 4.8 from 4 ratings.

### Do Ringotan or Japanese Writer have ads?

Neither Ringotan nor Japanese Writer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ringotan or Japanese Writer?

Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, and Japanese Writer every 4 months. Most recently, Ringotan was updated on November 3, 2026 and Japanese Writer on November 3, 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.*