# iKnow! vs OBICON

The clearest difference is review sentiment: iKnow! at 79% against OBICON's 19%. OBICON's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 14.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. iKnow! sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. OBICON asks for nothing beyond the download.

iKnow! ships an update every 5 weeks, OBICON monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iKnow! | OBICON |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (491 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iknow/id417713473/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **491** | — |
| Positive reviews | **78.6% of reviews** | 18.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 19 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DMM.com LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/373765747) | [J. F. Oberlin University](https://appshunter.io/developer/567946736) |

## What reviewers say

### iKnow!

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iknow/id417713473)

Master Japanese, Chinese, and English with this app's adaptive learning engine. It offers multiple study modes and synchronizes your progress across devices for flexible learning. Ideal for anyone looking to efficiently acquire new vocabulary and sentence structures.

**Highlights:** Adaptive learning engine, Spaced rehearsal pattern, Five study modes, Vocabulary and sentence mastery, Progress synchronization, Audio playback with speed control

**Features:** iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Month Plan | $23.99 | one-time |
| 12 Month Plan | $39.99 | one-time |
| 12+1 Month Plan | $39.99 | one-time |
| 6 Month Plan | $47.99 | one-time |
| 6+1 Month Plan | $47.99 | one-time |
| 12+3 Month Plan | $54.99 | one-time |
| 12 Month Plan | $59.99 | one-time |
| 12 Month Plan | $64.99 | one-time |
| 12+1 Month Plan | $64.99 | one-time |
| 12 Month Plan | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent for vocabulary learning
- 👍 Great for learning Japanese and Chinese
- 👍 Effective spaced repetition system
- 👍 Useful example sentences and audio
- 👍 Convenient for studying on the go

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Stability issues with recent updates
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes reported
- 🐛 Audio playback problems
- 🔒 Subscription-based model
- 👎 Limited customization options

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on startup
- Blank screens during multiple-choice questions
- Issues with typing answers and registering input
- Audio not playing for some example sentences

**Requested features**

- Add more languages beyond Japanese and Chinese
- Improve community course integration
- Implement a dark mode
- Add more example sentences per word
- Provide an option to learn without kanji


### OBICON

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obicon/id1422592386)

This app facilitates class attendance registration, allows users to receive notifications, and check facility congestion. Location tracking is limited to beacon-equipped classrooms and is not used for other purposes. It is developed by People Software Co., Ltd. under contract from J. F. Oberlin University.

**Highlights:** Class attendance registration, Receive notifications, Check facility congestion, Location-based attendance, Beacon technology integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iKnow! free?

iKnow! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is OBICON free?

OBICON is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do iKnow! or OBICON have ads?

Neither iKnow! nor OBICON shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iKnow! or OBICON?

iKnow! ships an update every 5 weeks, and OBICON monthly. Most recently, iKnow! was updated on October 26, 2026 and OBICON on October 24, 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.*