Korean Study Step 1 vs Bunpo
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Korean Study Step 1
This app teaches elementary Korean language through interactive writing exercises. It uses a unique writing recognition system to help users learn phonics and dictation, making learning engaging for young children.
- Elementary Korean alphabet learning
- Korean language dictation
- Writing recognition system
- Phonics and letter learning
- Character voiceovers
- Interactive writing exercises
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■ Korean language study STEP 1 with "Writing Princess" (For iPhone & iPad.) ■ Elementary Korean language education APP by enjoyable learning with writing. ■ Korean language dictation learning is possible by writing with this APP. ■ Free Version contains advertisement. 'Writing Princess STEP 1' is an innovative APP through which people can learn Korean language as if mother teach English words to young child by writing those words on the notebook. Not only visual factor(figures) and auditory factor(sounds) of traditional APPs, but writing recognition system which is developed by ourselves in this APP make it possible for people to study without notebook or pens. Now, why don't you, young boys and girls, enjoy writing and study with 'Writing Princess STEP 1'? ■ Korean language education APP which can do dictation! ■ Maximizing the effectiveness of learning Korean language by using the concept that mother teach Korean words to young child by writing those words on the notebook! ■ Patent for writing recognition system! ■ Appeared on TV program, MBC Power Magazine! ■ Appeared on TV program, KBS 9 NEWS! ■ Characteristics of Writing Princess STEP 1 1. First stage - Phonics - Learning elementary Korean alphabet! - Korean language can be learned by writing initial sound (기역~히읗), a neutral vowel (아~예), letter (가~하), as the order of making each alphabet. 2. Second stage - Dictation - Learning Korean by listening & writing memorized alphabet. - Korean language can be learned by writing and listening pronunciation of "Writing Princess" 3. "Writing Princess & Writing King" Characters' awesome voice - Voice actors' awesome voice that can be heard only in 'Writing Princess STEP 1' APP. ■ 'English Study STEP I with Writing Princess' is also released for studying English. ■ "Korean study STEP II with Wiriting Princess" is also being developed for student. ■ Please leave your opinions, and it will be considered carefully for further development. ■ e-mail - ceosoftheaven@gmail.com ■ Produced by - Softheaven Inc.
Bunpo
Master multiple languages with this comprehensive learning app. It offers detailed grammar explanations, vocabulary building, and smart review systems to help you progress from beginner to advanced levels. Learn Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese with interactive exercises and personalized study plans.
- Learn 6 languages
- Master grammar with detailed explanations
- Build vocabulary and kanji knowledge
- Spaced repetition for smart review
- Interactive quizzes and example sentences
- Offline learning for Spanish, French, German, Chinese
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Learn languages with Bunpo! Learn Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, English and more! Master speaking, grammar, and vocabulary from beginner to advanced, trusted by over 5 million learners worldwide. From your first Hiragana あ to JLPT N1, from "annyeong" to a real Korean conversation, or any of our 8+ languages, Bunpo takes you from day one to fluency. ========= Why Bunpo works for language learning - Speak from day one: Start speaking from your very first lesson with advanced speech recognition technology. - 8+ languages, one app: Learn Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese, and English, and switch between them anytime without juggling multiple apps. - Grammar that makes sense: Detailed explanations in plain English, plus exercises that make it stick. - Smart review: A personalized study plan powered by spaced repetition (SRS) so you remember more, faster. - From the alphabet to advanced: Start with your very first character and build all the way to advanced grammar, whatever language you choose. Whether you're learning for travel, a higher grade, JLPT, a career boost, or just to feel confident in a new conversation, Bunpo's got your back. ========= Japanese Course - Master the Japanese alphabets (Hiragana & Katakana) so you can read menus, train signs, and even your favorite manga without guessing. - Learn Japanese grammar for every JLPT level (N5 to N1) with clear, no-nonsense explanations because "This is a pen" will only get you so far. - Build real-world Japanese vocabulary and kanji knowledge you can actually use in daily conversations, not just in textbooks. - Practice with 1,800+ Japanese example sentences and 8,000+ interactive quizzes designed to make new grammar and vocab stick. - Search any topic instantly in the Japanese grammar dictionary, perfect for "What does that mean again?" moments. - Review smarter, not harder, with a spaced repetition system (SRS) that reminds you before you forget. ========= Korean Course - Master the Korean alphabet (Hangul) with a guided chart, listening, and writing practice. - Build Korean vocabulary you'll actually use in everyday conversations. - Practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking so every skill grows together. ========= Spanish Course - Learn Spanish offline - Master Spanish grammar from A1 to B1 level - Spanish verb conjugation - Perfect your Spanish pronunciation ========= French Course - Learn French offline - Master French grammar from A1 to A2 level - French verb conjugation - Perfect your French pronunciation ========= German Course - Learn German offline - Master German grammar from A1 to C1 level - German verb conjugation - Perfect your German pronunciation ========= Chinese Course - Learn Chinese offline - Master Chinese vocabulary and phrases - Listen, speak, and write Chinese ========= Subscription pricing and terms Bunpo offers an auto-renewing monthly subscription and an auto-renewing yearly subscription to provide you with unlimited access to the Bunpo courses while you maintain an active subscription. These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary, and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on the country of residence. The subscription will automatically renew unless turned off in your iTunes Account Settings at least 24 hours before the current period ends. You can go to your iTunes Account settings to manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew. Your iTunes Account will be charged when the purchase is confirmed. Bunpo also offers a Forever subscription, which is paid for by a one-off upfront payment with unlimited access to the Bunpo courses forever. Privacy Policy and Terms of Use: https://bunpo.app/privacy.html Any feedback? Feel free to contact us at: iphone@bunpo.app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Bunpo at 4.9 against Korean Study Step 1's 3.0. Bunpo also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 3 months). Korean Study Step 1's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Korean Study Step 1 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Bunpo sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Bunpo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Bunpo has 18K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 45% of Korean Study Step 1's written reviews are positive against 73% of Bunpo's.
Korean Study Step 1 ships an update every 3 months, Bunpo every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on July 6, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Korean Study Step 1 | Bunpo |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (4 ratings) | 4.9 (18K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 44.8% of reviews | 72.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 18K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 327 MB | 189 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SOFTHEAVEN | Bunpo Language Learning |
Customer experience
Korean Study Step 1
Bunpo
Bugs and requests
Korean Study Step 1
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Bunpo
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes during lesson reviews
- Incorrect answers marked as wrong
- Text and keyboard issues on smaller screens
- Audio playback problems
Requested features
4 requests- Add landscape mode support for tablets
- Improve review options to revisit specific grammar points
- Expand vocabulary lessons and practice
- Add more languages beyond Japanese
In-app purchases
Korean Study Step 1
- Remove ADS$1.99
Bunpo
- Bunpo Plus Monthly2 variants$9.991 Month
- Bunpo Platinum Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- Bunpo Platinum Monthly$19.991 Month
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- Bunpo Plus Yearly$29.991 Year
- Bunpo Plus Yearly$39.991 Year
- Bunpo Platinum Yearly7 Days trial$79.991 Year
- Bunpo Platinum Yearly$79.991 Year
- Bunpo Plus Lifetime$39.99
- Bunpo Plus Lifetime$44.99
Questions
Is Korean Study Step 1 free?
Is Bunpo free?
Which has better reviews, Korean Study Step 1 or Bunpo?
Do Korean Study Step 1 or Bunpo have ads?
Which is updated more often, Korean Study Step 1 or Bunpo?
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