# Migaku vs Shaded Learning

The clearest difference is rating: Shaded Learning at 5.0 against Migaku's 4.4. Migaku's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (360 vs 3). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Migaku sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $14.00 per month and Shaded Learning sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Shaded Learning holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Migaku has 360 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Migaku | Shaded Learning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (360 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/migaku-really-learn-languages/id1664096855/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shaded-learning/id6744109632/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **360** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 73.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.9 GB | 283 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Migaku Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1625577898) | [Shaded](https://appshunter.io/developer/1806099122) |

## What reviewers say

### Migaku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/migaku-really-learn-languages/id1664096855)

This app helps you learn languages by making content interactive. Click words in subtitles or text to get definitions, create flashcards, and personalize study sessions. It focuses on high-frequency words for efficient learning.

**Highlights:** Interactive subtitles for YouTube, One-click media-rich flashcard creation, Personalized study sessions, Data-driven courses for beginners, Word frequency-based vocabulary learning, AI sentence breakdown and explanations

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Migaku Standard | $14.00 | per month |
| Migaku Standard | $14.00 | per month |
| Early Access | $21.00 | per month |
| Early Access | $21.00 | per month |
| Migaku Standard | $136.99 | per year |
| Migaku Standard | $136.99 | per year |
| Early Access | $179.99 | per year |
| Early Access | $179.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $214.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $289.00 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $344.99 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $359.00 | one-time |
| Lifetime | $719.00 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Effective and convenient language learning
- 👍 Intuitive and visually appealing interface
- 🎓 Comprehensive courses and lessons
- 💡 Seamless integration with streaming platforms
- 🗣️ Helpful pronunciation and pitch accent features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and stability issues
- 🔒 Lack of free trial or free plan options
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🤖 Inconsistent performance of AI-powered features
- 🔌 High storage and battery consumption on mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to create new accounts in the app
- Broken kanji course with empty cards
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between apps

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for learning on the go
- Expanded support for more languages
- Better integration with Anki and other SRS apps
- More customization options for flashcards and reviews


### Shaded Learning

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shaded-learning/id6744109632)

Master Japanese vocabulary and grammar using spaced repetition and advanced language models. The app intelligently parses your answers, reinforcing incorrect words and strategically using correct ones to build new sentences for faster learning.

**Highlights:** Spaced repetition system, Language model integration, Intelligent answer parsing, Vocabulary acquisition, Grammar learning, Sentence building

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Shaded Monthly | $3.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Migaku free?

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

### Is Shaded Learning free?

Shaded Learning is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Migaku or Shaded Learning?

Shaded Learning is rated higher. Migaku averages 4.4 out of 5 from 360 ratings, while Shaded Learning averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Migaku or Shaded Learning have ads?

Shaded Learning shows ads; Migaku does not.

### Which is updated more often, Migaku or Shaded Learning?

Migaku ships an update weekly, and Shaded Learning weekly. Most recently, Migaku was updated on September 25, 2026 and Shaded Learning on September 17, 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.*