Ringotan vs KanjiGuess
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!
KanjiGuess
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Guess the kanji. Hot or cold. One more try. KanjiGuess turns kanji study into a daily game: type your guess and the game tells you whether you're hot or cold. No endless lists. Just you and the kanji. THE DAILY KANJI One kanji, the same for everyone, every day. Solve it, share your result, compare with your friends. Come back tomorrow and keep the streak alive. EIGHT GAME MODES Classic, Time Attack, Survival, Daily Kanji and more. Every mode is free from day one. STUDY MODE: NO LIVES, NO CLOCK Review each kanji with its reading and meaning on a card. Mark what you already knew, come back to what you didn't. No pressure, no lives spent. START WITH 114 FOR FREE The full JLPT N5 level: 97 kanji and 17 compound words, at no cost. When you want more, the N4, N3, N2 and N1 packs add 150 more. One payment per pack, yours forever. And if you'd rather not wait between rounds, unlimited lives is a one-time payment too. MEDALS AND LEADERBOARDS Medals for streaks, accuracy and kanji mastered. If you like to compete, Time Attack and Survival have their own Game Center leaderboards. YOUR DAILY ARCHIVE Every solved day is saved with your guesses. See how far you've come and how many days you've kept going. No account, no sign-up, no ads. Your progress stays on your device. Made for anyone studying Japanese on their own, starting out with the JLPT, or just looking for a short challenge each day. Download KanjiGuess and guess today's kanji.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ringotan at none against KanjiGuess's 6. Ringotan also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.2 vs 17.0). On price 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. KanjiGuess sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | Ringotan | KanjiGuess |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (573 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 95.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 573 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 12.2 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 206 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Pflughoeft | Victor Lagunas |
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
KanjiGuess
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ringotan
No in-app purchases
KanjiGuess
- N2 Kanji Pack$3.99
- N1 Kanji Pack$3.99
- Unlimited Lives$4.99
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- N4 Kanji Pack$4.99
- N3 Kanji Pack$4.99
- Unlock Everything$14.99









