# Immersion Reader vs Sottaku

The clearest difference is rating: Sottaku at 4.7 against Immersion Reader's 4.0. Sottaku also leads on review sentiment (80% vs 62%). Immersion Reader's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Immersion Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Sottaku sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Sottaku holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Immersion Reader's written reviews are positive against 80% of Sottaku's.

Immersion Reader ships an update every 6 days, Sottaku every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Immersion Reader | Sottaku |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334/reviews) | **[4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sottaku-learn-languages/id6756599573/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 61.5% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 80 MB | 161 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Mathew Chan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1441199099) | [Sottaku Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861698840) |

## What reviewers say

### Immersion Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/immersion-reader/id6443721334)

Easily look up Japanese words while reading ebooks with a single tap. Import custom dictionaries and export saved vocabulary for spaced repetition learning. Offers customizable themes for a comfortable reading experience.

**Highlights:** One-tap word lookup in Japanese ebooks, Import Yomichan and frequency dictionaries, Export vocabulary to Anki, Light and dark mode themes, Lookup neighboring words

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Immersion Reader Premium | $4.99 | one-time |


### Sottaku

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sottaku-learn-languages/id6756599573)

Master Chinese, Japanese, and Korean vocabulary with this app. It offers fast lookups, audio pronunciation, spaced repetition, and interactive quizzes. A browser extension and community chat are also available for enhanced learning.

**Highlights:** Fast word and sentence lookups, Audio pronunciation and furigana, Spaced repetition flashcards, Quick quizzes and challenge modes, Community chat feature, Companion browser extension

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

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sottaku Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Sottaku Pro: Gift Sub | $14.99 | per month |
| Sottaku: 750 Gold | $9.99 | one-time |
| Sottaku Pro: One Month Gift Sub | $14.99 | one-time |
| Sottaku: 1600 Gold | $19.99 | one-time |
| Sottaku: 3400 Gold | $39.99 | one-time |
| Sottaku: 9200 Gold | $99.99 | one-time |
| Sottaku: 20000 Gold | $199.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Immersion Reader free?

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

### Is Sottaku free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Immersion Reader or Sottaku?

Sottaku is rated higher. Immersion Reader averages 4.0 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Sottaku averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do Immersion Reader or Sottaku have ads?

Neither Immersion Reader nor Sottaku shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Immersion Reader or Sottaku?

Immersion Reader ships an update every 6 days, and Sottaku every 3 days. Most recently, Immersion Reader was updated on October 1, 2026 and Sottaku on October 2, 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.*