KanjiBox vs Ringotan
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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!
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.
- Learn Kanji by writing
- Advanced input detection
- Spaced repetition system (SRS)
- Focus on writing, not just reading
- Frequent updates with new features
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
KanjiBox ships an update weekly, Ringotan every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | KanjiBox | Ringotan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.6 (138 ratings) | 4.9 (567 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 92.8% of reviews | 95.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 138 | 567 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 361 MB | 206 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Unknown Genius Software | Daniel Pflughoeft |
Customer experience
KanjiBox
Ringotan
User reviews
KanjiBox
From 138 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
KanjiBox
- KanjiDraw$0.99
- KanaDraw$0.99
- Grammar - Beginner I: Particles$0.99
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- 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
Ringotan
No in-app purchases








