Comparison

KanjiBox vs Ringotan

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

Head to head
About

KanjiBox

Master Japanese language skills offline with interactive drills, quizzes, and flashcards. Track progress with detailed stats and game-like achievements. Includes handwriting practice and preparation for standardized tests.

Highlights
  • Offline Japanese study
  • Drills, quizzes, and flashcards
  • Handwriting practice modules
  • Progress tracking and achievements
  • JLPT and Kanji Kentei preparation
  • Adaptive learning with SRS
  • Customizable study sets
Features
Read full description

KanjiBox is a focused Japanese kanji and vocabulary trainer for learners at every level, from first-time beginners to advanced JLPT N1 candidates. • Simple yet effective algorithm Spaced Repetition System and smart Multiple Choice algorithm, combined to optimize your learning and track your progress • Multiple Modes to keep you motivated From Flashcards, to Drill training, to Gamified Quiz • No AI Slop KanjiBox was first released 19 years ago, and has helped hundreds of thousands achieve written Japanese mastery ever since. It does not, and will never, rely on half-baked LLM-driven content — — — — — — — — — — — — — KANJIBOX IS SMART — — — — — — — — — — — — — KanjiBox adapts to your performance by prioritizing items you struggle with, and reducing repetition of material you already know. As you progress, it will introduce new kanji and vocabulary, but always while following your pace. Spend more time on what needs work, and less time reviewing what you have already mastered. — — — — — — — — — — — — — KANJIBOX IS A MEAN TEACHER — — — — — — — — — — — — — Behind the deceptively simple Multiple Choice Question format, is a well-oiled algorithm designed to trip you up: similar-looking kanji, subtle pronunciation differences, closely-related grammatical words… Because the goal is to learn the language, not how to beat the test. — — — — — — — — — — — — — KANJIBOX IS ENGAGING — — — — — — — — — — — — — Exhaustive stats across levels and categories show you what you have mastered, what needs more practice, and how your results improve over time. Quiz mode adds a fun competitive element to your studying. Because serious should not mean tedious! — — — — — — — — — FEATURES — — — — — — — — — • Full JLPT N5–N1 kanji and vocabulary coverage • Sensei mode with 6,355 kanji, ~40,000 vocab words • Beginner mode with hiragana and katakana • Works fully offline • Custom Study Sets • Sync all learning stats and progress across devices • Add-ons to practice handwriting kana and kanji • Add-ons to practice specific grammar points Whether you are preparing for the JLPT, studying Japanese at school, or building your reading ability for everyday use, KanjiBox gives you a clear and practical way to improve. 始めましょう!Let's get started!

About

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.

Highlights
  • Learn Kanji by writing
  • Advanced input detection
  • Spaced repetition system (SRS)
  • Focus on writing, not just reading
  • Frequent updates with new features
Features
Read full description

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!

Screenshots

KanjiBox4 screens
Ringotan2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Ringotan at Free against KanjiBox's $4.99. Ringotan also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On review sentiment, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Ringotan is free to download; KanjiBox costs $4.99 up front. KanjiBox sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Ringotan asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 138 and 567 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of KanjiBox's written reviews are positive against 96% of Ringotan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KanjiBox ships an update weekly, Ringotan every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
KanjiBox versus Ringotan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKanjiBoxRingotan
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (138 ratings)4.9 (567 ratings) — better
Positive reviews92.8% of reviews95.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings138567 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.012.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size361 MB206 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperUnknown Genius SoftwareDaniel Pflughoeft

Customer experience

KanjiBox

All ratings138 ratings
Positive91.3%
Neutral2.9%
Negative5.8%
Written reviews264 reviews
Positive92.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative3.4%

Ringotan

All ratings567 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.2%

User reviews

KanjiBox

From 138 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Comprehensive kanji and vocabulary practice
  • 🚀 Efficient spaced repetition learning
  • 💡 Customizable study settings
  • 🚀 Syncs progress across devices
  • 👍 Integrates with dictionary app

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
  • 👎 Limited grammar practice
  • 👎 Sensitive kanji writing recognition
  • 👎 Repetitive kanji/vocabulary selection

Ringotan

From 567 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Effective kanji learning system
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🔓 No ads or paywalls
  • 💡 Customizable settings and integration with other resources
  • 🎨 Visually pleasing and engaging

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Keyword hints not always clear enough
  • 🔀 Limited ability to customize word lists
  • 🔆 Light mode only, no dark mode option
  • 🔍 Difficulty identifying which kanji is being tested at times

Bugs and requests

KanjiBox

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes when launching at higher JLPT levels
  • Syncing issues between mobile and web versions
  • Incorrect kanji/vocabulary definitions in some cases

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more grammar and sentence-level practice
  • Improve kanji writing recognition accuracy
  • Allow searching for specific kanji or vocabulary
  • Provide more detailed review of missed questions

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

In-app purchases

8 purchases

KanjiBox

One-time8
  • KanjiDraw$0.99
  • KanaDraw$0.99
  • Grammar - Beginner I: Particles$0.99
Show 5 more
  • Grammar - Intermediate I$0.99
  • Grammar - Beginner II: Where? When?$0.99
  • Grammar - Beginner III: 後, 前, 上, 下...$0.99
  • Advanced I: ところ+に,で,へ,を...$0.99
  • Vocab N5 Nouns (pt. 1)$0.99
None

Ringotan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KanjiBox free?
KanjiBox costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Ringotan free?
Ringotan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KanjiBox or Ringotan?
Ringotan is rated higher. KanjiBox averages 4.6 out of 5 from 138 ratings, while Ringotan averages 4.9 from 567 ratings.
Do KanjiBox or Ringotan have ads?
Neither KanjiBox nor Ringotan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KanjiBox or Ringotan?
KanjiBox ships an update weekly, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, KanjiBox was updated on October 15, 2026 and Ringotan on October 9, 2026.

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