# Nihongo Master Dictionary vs Immersion Reader

The clearest difference is ads: Immersion Reader at none against Nihongo Master Dictionary's shown. Immersion Reader also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 21 months) and ratings volume (26 vs 5). Nihongo Master Dictionary's advantage is rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Nihongo Master Dictionary sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Immersion Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Nihongo Master Dictionary holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Immersion Reader has 26 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Nihongo Master Dictionary's written reviews are positive against 62% of Immersion Reader's.

Nihongo Master Dictionary ships an update every 21 months, Immersion Reader every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nihongo Master Dictionary | Immersion Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-master-dictionary/id1672167556/reviews)** | [4.0 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **26** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 61.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 21 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 242 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nihongo Master](https://appshunter.io/developer/1672167558) | [Mathew Chan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441199099) |

## What reviewers say

### Nihongo Master Dictionary

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-master-dictionary/id1672167556)

This Japanese dictionary app helps users quickly find words and kanji with example sentences and JLPT levels. Create custom study lists and use flashcards to build vocabulary. It also offers popular study lists for common situations like travel and work.

**Highlights:** Word and kanji lookup, Example sentences, Related kanji information, JLPT level indicators, Custom study lists, Flashcard vocabulary builder, Popular situational study lists

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |


### Immersion Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334)

Easily look up Japanese words while reading ebooks with a single tap. Import custom dictionaries and export saved vocabulary for spaced repetition learning. Offers customizable themes for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** One-tap word lookup in Japanese ebooks, Import Yomichan and frequency dictionaries, Export vocabulary to Anki, Light and dark mode themes, Lookup neighboring words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Immersion Reader Premium | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nihongo Master Dictionary free?

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

### Is Immersion Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nihongo Master Dictionary or Immersion Reader?

Nihongo Master Dictionary is rated higher. Nihongo Master Dictionary averages 4.4 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Immersion Reader averages 4.0 from 26 ratings.

### Do Nihongo Master Dictionary or Immersion Reader have ads?

Nihongo Master Dictionary shows ads; Immersion Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Nihongo Master Dictionary or Immersion Reader?

Nihongo Master Dictionary ships an update every 21 months, and Immersion Reader every 6 days. Most recently, Nihongo Master Dictionary was updated on October 3, 2026 and Immersion Reader on October 1, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*