Comparison

SEC DigiLib vs Kanji Lock

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SEC DigiLib

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SEC DigiLib (Digital Library) makes thousands of content available to its collaborators in different formats (ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, videos, courses, magazines, etc.), themes and languages so that you can personalize your learning experience, depending on your tastes and preferences.

About

Kanji Lock

Features
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Learn kanji every time you reach for a distracting app. Kanji Lock turns everyday screen time into Japanese study time. When you try to open an app you've chosen to limit, a kanji quiz appears first. Instead of opening social media on autopilot, take a few seconds to practice Japanese. FREE FOR 3 DAYS, THEN SUBSCRIBE Try every feature free for 3 days. No account or payment is needed to start. After the free period, a monthly subscription is required to keep using Kanji Lock. LEARN JLPT KANJI Practice kanji across all JLPT levels, from N5 to N1. Choose the level that matches your Japanese ability and learn at your own pace. You can also add your own kanji to practice. MULTIPLE TYPES OF QUESTIONS Practice kanji through different question formats, including: โ€ข Reading โ€“ choose the correct reading โ€ข Meaning โ€“ identify the English meaning โ€ข Kanji โ€“ choose the correct kanji โ€ข Context โ€“ understand kanji in sentences and context SMART REVIEW Kanji you tend to miss come back more often, and the ones you know well appear less. New kanji are introduced at a steady pace. LEARN BEFORE YOU SCROLL Select apps you want to limit. When you try to open one, Kanji Lock puts a short learning moment between you and the distraction. No separate study session required. Your existing phone habits become opportunities to practice kanji throughout the day. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Keep track of your learning activity and see how you're progressing over time. BUILT WITH PRIVACY IN MIND Kanji Lock uses Apple's Screen Time technology to manage selected apps. Kanji Lock does not see the names of the apps you select. Your learning data is stored locally on your device and is not uploaded to our servers. Kanji Lock collects only anonymous usage statistics, which you can turn off in Settings. TURN DISTRACTION INTO PROGRESS Whether you're preparing for the JLPT or simply want to improve your Japanese, Kanji Lock helps you practice a little more every day โ€” using time you were already spending on your phone. Open an app. Answer a kanji question. Keep learning. SUBSCRIPTION โ€ข Kanji Lock is free to download and free to use for 3 days. After that, a monthly auto-renewable subscription is required. The price is shown in the App Store and in the app before you subscribe. โ€ข Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. โ€ข The subscription renews automatically unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. โ€ข You can manage or cancel your subscription in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. Terms of Use (Apple Standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://emuemutaro.github.io/kanjilock-privacy/

Screenshots

SEC DigiLib3 screens
Kanji Lock4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SEC DigiLib at none against Kanji Lock's 1. SEC DigiLib also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.4). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Kanji Lock sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. SEC DigiLib asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SEC DigiLib ships an update every 2 weeks, Kanji Lock weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
SEC DigiLib versus Kanji Lock: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSEC DigiLibKanji Lock
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksWeekly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better26.4
Further details โ€” not scored
Size71 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOdiloAYA FUNAKI

In-app purchases

None

SEC DigiLib

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Kanji Lock

Subscriptions1
  • Premium$1.991 Month

Questions

Is SEC DigiLib free?
SEC DigiLib is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kanji Lock free?
Kanji Lock is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SEC DigiLib or Kanji Lock have ads?
Neither SEC DigiLib nor Kanji Lock shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SEC DigiLib or Kanji Lock?
SEC DigiLib ships an update every 2 weeks, and Kanji Lock weekly. Most recently, SEC DigiLib was updated on October 21, 2026 and Kanji Lock on October 22, 2026.

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