# Hard reading kanji vs Satori Reader

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Satori Reader at 90% against Hard reading kanji's 17%. Satori Reader also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (218 vs 1). Hard reading kanji's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Satori Reader sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Hard reading kanji asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hard reading kanji holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Satori Reader has 218 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 17% of Hard reading kanji's written reviews are positive against 90% of Satori Reader's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hard reading kanji ships an update every 11 months, Satori Reader every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hard reading kanji | Satori Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hard-reading-kanji/id330771342/reviews)** | [4.8 (218 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satori-reader/id1382950847/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **218** |
| Positive reviews | 16.7% of reviews | **90.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 7 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [AOBO Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/310846199) | [Brak Software, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/304088759) |

## What reviewers say

### Hard reading kanji

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hard-reading-kanji/id330771342)

This app helps users reference and learn difficult Japanese kanji and phrases. It categorizes them into various groups and allows searching by kanji or kana. A paid version offers more advanced learning functions.

**Highlights:** Reference 1468 difficult kanji/phrases, Kanji grouped by category, Search by kanji or kana, Supports Japanese, English, and Chinese UI

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Satori Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/satori-reader/id1382950847)

Enhance your Japanese reading and listening skills with engaging stories written by native speakers. Features adaptive kanji, smart definitions, and spaced repetition to build vocabulary. Get clarity with friendly annotations and human feedback.

**Highlights:** Compelling stories by native speakers, Audio narration by voice actors, Adaptive kanji presentation, Smart word definitions, Friendly annotations, Spaced repetition vocabulary review, Human feedback and support

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Satori Reader Monthly | $8.99 | per month |
| Satori Reader Annual | $89.99 | per year |
| Satori Reader Annual | $89.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for improving reading and listening skills
- 👍 Detailed grammar and vocabulary explanations
- 🎨 Customizable display settings for kanji/furigana
- 💡 Integrated spaced repetition flashcard system
- 🎧 High-quality voice acting and audio

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes or sync issues
- 🕰️ Lack of speed control for audio playback
- 💰 Subscription-based model can be expensive
- 🔍 Limited search/navigation functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and account creation problems
- Syncing and loading delays on some devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Ability to loop audio playback
- Kanji lookup/learning tools integration
- More advanced/diverse content selection


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hard reading kanji free?

Hard reading kanji is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Satori Reader free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Hard reading kanji or Satori Reader?

Hard reading kanji is rated higher. Hard reading kanji averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Satori Reader averages 4.8 from 218 ratings.

### Do Hard reading kanji or Satori Reader have ads?

Hard reading kanji shows ads; Satori Reader does not.

### Which is updated more often, Hard reading kanji or Satori Reader?

Hard reading kanji ships an update every 11 months, and Satori Reader every 3 months. Most recently, Hard reading kanji was updated on October 15, 2026 and Satori Reader on October 18, 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.*