# JEDict vs Kanji Study

The clearest difference is rating: Kanji Study at 4.7 against JEDict's 3.7. Kanji Study also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (7.3K vs 3). JEDict's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. JEDict sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Kanji Study sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Kanji Study holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Kanji Study has 7.3K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 71% of JEDict's written reviews are positive against 67% of Kanji Study's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

JEDict ships an update every 3 months, Kanji Study every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | JEDict | Kanji Study |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jedict/id482453036/reviews) | **[4.7 (7.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-study-learn-japanese/id1078107994/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **7.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **70.6% of reviews** | 67.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 104 MB | 140 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sergey Kurkin](https://appshunter.io/developer/482453039) | [Luli Languages LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/972910241) |

## What reviewers say

### JEDict

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/jedict/id482453036)

This app helps users learn Japanese kanji and words through various search methods, including readings, English translations, and graphemes. It features handwritten recognition, OCR, stroke order animations, and JLPT lists for comprehensive study.

**Highlights:** Kanji and word search, Handwritten kanji recognition, Kanji search by graphemes, Japanese OCR, Kanji stroke order animation, JLPT lists

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| JEDict Pro | $19.99 | one-time |
| OSX Basic | $23.99 | one-time |


### Kanji Study

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-study-learn-japanese/id1078107994)

Master Japanese kanji through vocabulary words rather than rote memorization. Features include writing lessons with stroke detection, spaced repetition reviews, and full JLPT level coverage. Learn readings naturally, one word at a time, with audio pronunciation and offline access.

**Highlights:** Vocabulary-first kanji learning, Writing lessons with stroke detection, Spaced repetition reviews, JLPT N5-N1 coverage, Audio pronunciation, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Level 1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Level 2 | $12.99 | one-time |
| Level 3 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Level 4 | $14.99 | one-time |
| Level 5 | $14.99 | one-time |
| All Levels | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app for learning kanji
- 👍 Effective review system
- 💡 Organized by JLPT levels
- 👍 Affordable one-time purchase
- 👍 Helps with writing practice and muscle memory

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sensitive kanji recognition, sometimes doesn't accept correct strokes
- 🐛 Review sessions can get very long and tedious
- 🐛 Inconsistent kanji definitions and translations
- 🐛 Lack of syncing progress across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Certain kanji not recognized correctly
- App crashing or freezing, especially during long review sessions
- Progress not syncing across devices

**Requested features**

- Option to customize review sessions (select specific kanji, JLPT levels, etc.)
- Add both on and kun readings for kanji
- Implement sentence practice and vocabulary exercises
- Add support for more languages (e.g. Russian)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is JEDict free?

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

### Is Kanji Study free?

Kanji Study is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, JEDict or Kanji Study?

Kanji Study is rated higher. JEDict averages 3.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Kanji Study averages 4.7 from 7.3K ratings.

### Do JEDict or Kanji Study have ads?

Neither JEDict nor Kanji Study shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, JEDict or Kanji Study?

JEDict ships an update every 3 months, and Kanji Study every 2 days. Most recently, JEDict was updated on November 1, 2026 and Kanji Study on November 11, 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.*