Ringotan vs Snomi
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!
Snomi
Learn Japanese through short, authentic video clips featuring native speakers. Interactive transcripts and one-tap vocabulary saving make studying feel natural and engaging. Smart flashcards reinforce learning for long-term memory.
- Native Japanese video clips
- Interactive transcripts with furigana/romaji
- One-tap vocabulary saving
- Smart flashcard review
- Slow-motion playback
- Daily streaks and progress tracking
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Snomi turns language learning fun Instead of mindless feeds, Snomi gives you a feed of short, native Japanese video clips — the way real people actually speak. Watch, listen, and pick up words and phrases naturally, one clip at a time. It feels like doomscrolling. It's actually studying. WHY SNOMI WORKS • Learn from real Japanese, not robotic textbook audio • Every clip has a synced, word-by-word transcript with furigana and romaji • Tap any word to see its meaning, reading, and part of speech — then save it in one tap • Slow any clip down to 0.75× so you can catch every syllable • Built-in flashcard review turns the words you saved into long-term memory FEATURES • Endless feed of bite-size Japanese clips, sorted by difficulty (N5–N1) • Karaoke-style transcripts that highlight each word as it's spoken • One-tap vocabulary saving — build your own personal word bank • Smart flashcard review to lock in everything you've learned • Daily streaks and watch-time tracking to keep you coming back • A friendly polar-bear guide to cheer you on PERFECT FOR • Beginners who bounce off textbooks and apps that feel like homework • Intermediate learners who want real listening practice and natural phrases • Anyone studying for the JLPT who wants daily, low-effort exposure • Fans of anime, J-dramas, and Japanese media who want to actually understand them Just a few minutes a day adds up fast. Open Snomi, and begin the learning process. SUBSCRIPTION Snomi offers a weekly and a yearly subscription with a free trial. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Service: https://clear-roarer-e14.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-378a417c935f80f0acfbf8d0b2dee1c8 Privacy Policy: https://clear-roarer-e14.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-378a417c935f80bb9ceccb1377895217
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Ringotan at 4.9 against Snomi's 4.0. Ringotan also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (567 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. Snomi sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. 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 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Ringotan ships an update every 3 days, Snomi every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ringotan | Snomi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (567 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 567 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 150 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Daniel Pflughoeft | Pioneer Group Aps |
Customer experience
Ringotan
Snomi
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
Snomi
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
Snomi
- weekly premium$4.997 Days
- Yearly Premium3 Days trial$49.991 Year









