# Nihongo Lessons vs Sakura NL

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Nihongo Lessons at 126 against Sakura NL's 3. Sakura NL's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nihongo Lessons sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Sakura NL sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sakura NL holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nihongo Lessons has 126 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Nihongo Lessons's written reviews are positive against 100% of Sakura NL's.

Nihongo Lessons ships an update every 3 weeks, Sakura NL every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nihongo Lessons | Sakura NL |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (126 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-lessons/id1640204242/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-nl/id6475717882/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **126** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 84.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 258 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **14.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Serpenti Sei Japan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1767544234) | [Yuta Takahashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1690098795) |

## What reviewers say

### Nihongo Lessons

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-lessons/id1640204242)

This app helps learners of all levels achieve Japanese fluency. It uses a flashcard format to teach vocabulary, grammar, and writing systems, with advanced spaced repetition for effective retention. Content is sourced from real manga for advanced learners.

**Highlights:** Learn Hiragana and Katakana, 7000+ handcrafted sentences, Professional voice actor audio, Advanced Spaced Repetition System (SRS), Vocabulary and grammar from manga, Flashcard learning format

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All Access Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| All Access Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Beginner Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Champion Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Expert Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Master Deck (Discounted) | $59.99 | one-time |
| Intermediate Deck (Discounted) | $83.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Deck (Discounted) | $101.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Deck | $119.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $149.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $254.99 | one-time |
| All Decks | $299.99 | one-time |
| All Decks (Discounted) | $299.99 | one-time |


### Sakura NL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-nl/id6475717882)

Learn Japanese through engaging video lessons and real-life contexts. This app supports learners from beginner to advanced levels, making language acquisition fun and practical. Discover Japanese culture and progress at your own pace towards fluency.

**Highlights:** Video-based lessons, Real-life contexts, Cultural insights, Step-by-step learning, All skill levels supported

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nihongo Lessons free?

Nihongo Lessons is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Sakura NL free?

Sakura NL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Nihongo Lessons or Sakura NL?

Sakura NL is rated higher. Nihongo Lessons averages 4.8 out of 5 from 126 ratings, while Sakura NL averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Nihongo Lessons or Sakura NL have ads?

Neither Nihongo Lessons nor Sakura NL shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nihongo Lessons or Sakura NL?

Nihongo Lessons ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sakura NL every 8 days. Most recently, Nihongo Lessons was updated on September 14, 2026 and Sakura NL on June 1, 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.*