# Ringotan vs Maneki Kanji

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against Maneki Kanji's 3. Ringotan also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and ratings volume (574 vs 7). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Maneki Kanji sells 3 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 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ringotan has 574 ratings behind it against 7, 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 Maneki Kanji'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, Maneki Kanji every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ringotan | Maneki Kanji |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (574 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ringotan/id1633001064/reviews)** | [4.4 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maneki-kanji/id6744581619/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **574** | 7 |
| 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 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 206 MB | 189 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.2** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Daniel Pflughoeft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1633001066) | [shawn holan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808288462) |

## 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


### Maneki Kanji

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/maneki-kanji/id6744581619)

Master Japanese kanji with vocabulary, components, hiragana, furigana, and romaji. Create custom study decks and test your knowledge with quizzes and flashcards. Offers a free trial for subscription plans.

**Highlights:** Kanji mastery through vocabulary and components, Includes hiragana, furigana, and romaji, Build custom study decks, Review with quizzes and flashcards, Free trial for subscriptions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Lifetime subscription | $17.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ringotan free?

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

### Is Maneki Kanji free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ringotan or Maneki Kanji?

Ringotan is rated higher. Ringotan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 574 ratings, while Maneki Kanji averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.

### Do Ringotan or Maneki Kanji have ads?

Neither Ringotan nor Maneki Kanji shows ads.

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

Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, and Maneki Kanji every 4 days. Most recently, Ringotan was updated on October 24, 2026 and Maneki Kanji 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.*