Comparison

JiShop Concise vs Kanji Lookup

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

Head to head
About

JiShop Concise

This app serves as a comprehensive Japanese language learning tool, offering extensive kanji and word dictionaries with powerful search capabilities. It provides detailed information on kanji structure, meaning, and stroke order, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals.

Highlights
  • Kanji and word dictionaries
  • Element-based kanji search
  • Compound word search
  • Animated stroke order diagrams
  • Customizable study groups
  • Internal hyperlinks
Features
Read full description

JiShop is your portable Japanese tutor. Great for pros or students of the language, this powerful tool contains accurate Japanese-English kanji and word dictionaries, incredible search capabilities and an easy to use interface. Click “...More” to learn why you should download this App. Learning Japanese can be a complicated yet exciting course of study. That’s why it’s so important to have access to accurate, reliable help. You need a source of extensive kanji information and definition, including structure and meaning. A table of radicals is essential and you could use as many clarifying cross-references as you can get your hands on. JiShop can provide you with all the resources you need for learning, researching or translating Japanese kanji. With 6000 kanji listings, you’ll find what you’re looking for and fast, thanks to the app’s awesome search capabilities. Lookups are element based, using the original system of 632 basic visual elements. No need to count strokes, JiShop’s radical-based dictionary does the work for you. The table of radicals allows you to fully specify any kanji. There’s lots of dictionary help in JiShop. In fact the whole app is one enormous, thorough and accurately compiled dictionary. It amalgamates the best of Japanese-English lexicography and introduces unique features found in no other dictionary of its kind. For example, JiShop does double duty with characters and phonics. It only takes seconds to find compound words by their kanji structure, reading or meaning. Each kanji in every window is a clickable link to its dictionary entry, where you’ll find lots of cross-references for kanji forms, variants and synonyms. JiShop Features: * Suitable for beginners or professionals * Fast kanji search: - by elements (up to 4) - by reading (optionally with wildcards) - by meaning (optionally with wildcards) - by stroke count Compound word search: - by kanji (up to 4) - by reading - by meaning * Internal hyperlinks * Kanji, kana, and word drill * Store custom groups of favorite kanji or words * Download preset study groups * Interactive kanji decomposition * Individual radical information * Animated stroke order diagrams * 1006 kanji listed * Easy to use interface offers full flexibility JiShop is perfect for both the beginner and the professional. It’s multifunctional and universal, ideal for learning, quick reference, translation or research. If you’re involved with the beautiful Chinese characters used in Japanese, known as kanji, you are not going to want to wait one more second before downloading this comprehensive app. It’s the only one you’ll ever need or want. Paid Advanced edition (6355 kanji) and discounted Plus edition (2136 kanji) are also available.

About

Kanji Lookup

Quickly find the meaning and pronunciation of unknown Kanji characters by drawing them. This app focuses on fast, easy lookup without complex methods, offering definitions and relevant word examples. It also supports keyboard and pasteboard searches.

Highlights
  • Handwriting recognition for Kanji lookup
  • Instantaneous search results
  • Pronunciation and definition display
  • Searchable list of relevant words
  • Keyboard search support
  • Pasteboard text search
Features
Read full description

Kanji Lookup: simple, fast and hassle-free. Kanji Lookup is not a dictionary or an exhaustive kanji reference, and it doesn't try to be. It does one thing, and does it well: finding the meaning of an unfamiliar kanji as quickly and easily as possible, in the way that makes the most sense on a touchscreen: by drawing it. DRAW IT, FIND IT Stop counting strokes, deciphering radicals or learning the quirks of "well-designed" lookup schemes. Just start drawing the character and watch the results appear. Recognition copes with small stroke mistakes and cursive handwriting. JUST WHAT YOU NEED Kanji Lookup doesn't clutter your results with obscure readings found only in the name of one mountain village, or cross-references to paper dictionaries you probably don't own. It shows you what you are looking for: the character's readings and meaning. A searchable list of the most relevant words containing the kanji, with example sentences, is one tap away. MORE WAYS TO SEARCH • Draw whole words on the Words tab • Scan Japanese text with OCR: point the camera at it, scan a document or import a photo, then look up the kanji and words in it • Browse by radical, stroke count, school year or Kanji Kentei level • Type with the keyboard, or search for the kanji in text on the pasteboard SEE HOW IT'S WRITTEN Stroke-order animations for more than 2000 characters. MADE FOR EVERY SCREEN Works on iPhone, iPad and iPhone Duo. On iPad and iPhone Duo the layout uses the extra space, and on iPhone Duo it keeps the handwriting canvas clear of the fold. Kanji Lookup was designed for a minimal start-up time, fast handwriting recognition and a clean interface that stays out of your way. It includes more than 3500 kanji, including all the Joyo and Jinmeiyo characters.

Screenshots

JiShop Concise4 screens
Kanji Lookup4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Kanji Lookup at 4.7 against JiShop Concise's 2.5. Kanji Lookup also leads on ratings volume (3.1K vs 2). JiShop Concise's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. JiShop Concise sells 5 one-off in-app purchases and Kanji Lookup sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Kanji Lookup holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kanji Lookup has 3.1K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of JiShop Concise's written reviews are positive against 75% of Kanji Lookup's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JiShop Concise ships an update every 3 weeks, Kanji Lookup every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
JiShop Concise versus Kanji Lookup: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJiShop ConciseKanji Lookup
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (2 ratings)4.7 (3.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.0% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings23.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB146 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJISHOP Softwaretelethon k.k.

Customer experience

JiShop Concise

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%

Kanji Lookup

All ratings3,067 ratings
Positive91.4%
Neutral4.4%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral4.3%
Negative20.7%

Bugs and requests

JiShop Concise

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Kanji Lookup

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Kanji recognition not always accurate
  • Camera function doesn't work consistently
  • App crashes or freezes occasionally

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add audio pronunciations
  • Improve camera function
  • Provide more customization options
  • Implement kanji quizzing/testing

In-app purchases

5 purchases

JiShop Concise

One-time5
  • JISHOP Plus License$1.99
  • License Transfer$6.99
  • JiShop Advanced License$11.99
Show 2 more
  • JISHOP Advanced License$14.99
  • JISHOP Advanced License$16.99
2 purchases

Kanji Lookup

One-time2
  • Stroke Animations$0.99
  • Remove Advertisements$1.99

Questions

Is JiShop Concise free?
JiShop Concise is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Kanji Lookup free?
Kanji Lookup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, JiShop Concise or Kanji Lookup?
Kanji Lookup is rated higher. JiShop Concise averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Kanji Lookup averages 4.7 from 3.1K ratings.
Do JiShop Concise or Kanji Lookup have ads?
Kanji Lookup shows ads; JiShop Concise does not.
Which is updated more often, JiShop Concise or Kanji Lookup?
JiShop Concise ships an update every 3 weeks, and Kanji Lookup every 2 months. Most recently, JiShop Concise was updated on October 27, 2026 and Kanji Lookup on October 29, 2026.

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