Ringotan vs Shaded Learning
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!
Shaded Learning
Master Japanese vocabulary and grammar using spaced repetition and advanced language models. The app intelligently parses your answers, reinforcing incorrect words and strategically using correct ones to build new sentences for faster learning.
- Spaced repetition system
- Language model integration
- Intelligent answer parsing
- Vocabulary acquisition
- Grammar learning
- Sentence building
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Shaded learns where language breaks down for you. Practice real sentences in Japanese, Spanish, and English. Get feedback tied to the exact words, patterns, and skills you missed. Then keep moving through lessons built around what you're ready to use next. NOT FLASHCARDS. NOT A FIXED COURSE. NOT A CHATBOT. Shaded is a guided learning system that watches how you answer, finds the weak spots underneath, and turns them into your next useful practice step. • No deck maintenance — review comes from your live mistakes and due skills, not from cards you build, tag, and prune yourself. • No one-size-fits-all path — two learners practicing the same language see different prompts, because their weak spots are different. • No ungrounded chat drift — AI practice is paired with dictionary anchors, reviewed material, and source-backed examples. IT LEARNS THE PIECES, NOT JUST THE SENTENCE Every sentence you practice is broken into its real units — words, particles, patterns — and each is tracked on its own: • Grounded, not guessed: checked against real dictionaries and sources, not an AI's hunch. • One meaning, many forms: 食べる, 食べます, and 食べた are one thing to learn, not three cards. • Known by skill: reading a word isn't saying it. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are tracked separately. MODES THAT SHARE ONE LEARNER MODEL • Flow — focused practice built from recent misses, due review, and your level. • Passage — read and listen to longer material chosen for what you're ready for. • Goals & concepts — see what's due, what changed, and what to do next. • Voyage — your progress as a route you can watch advance. Daily study moves the ship. BUILT FOR REAL LANGUAGE PAIRS English speakers learning Japanese (kana, particles, readings, and sentence patterns, with scaffolding that eases off as things stick) or Spanish (verbs, agreement, and listening in real sentences) — and Japanese or Spanish speakers learning English, with explanations in your language where they help. SYNCED WITH THE WEB Start on your phone; continue at shaded.app in any browser. The weaknesses Shaded finds on your commute become the focused session you finish at your desk. Built for the messy middle — the stretch between knowing a rule and using it naturally. Shaded keeps learning from what happens when you try to use the language. 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 Shaded Learning's 1. Ringotan also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (574 vs 3). On price, rating, update cadence 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. Shaded Learning sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Ringotan against 5.0 for Shaded Learning. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ringotan has 574 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, Shaded Learning weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ringotan | Shaded Learning |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (574 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 574 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| 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 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 199 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Daniel Pflughoeft | Shaded |
Customer experience
Ringotan
Shaded Learning
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
Shaded Learning
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
Shaded Learning
- Shaded Monthly$3.991 Month
Questions
Is Ringotan free?
Is Shaded Learning free?
Which has better reviews, Ringotan or Shaded Learning?
Do Ringotan or Shaded Learning have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ringotan or Shaded Learning?
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