Comparison

蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 vs Kotonoha

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

Head to head
About

蔡姐姐/茱莉亞

Features
Read full description

數位化校園與家長的溝通平台,單一程式會對應到單一教育機構,使家長更容易下載對應該教育機構,讓家長輕鬆掌握學生出勤,感受學校即時回報的便利讓家校溝通更有效率。

About

Kotonoha

Master Japanese vocabulary and grammar for JLPT exams with AI-powered examples, mock tests, and spaced repetition. Covers all levels from N5 to N1 with native audio and custom card creation.

Highlights
  • 11,500+ JLPT vocabulary words
  • 465 grammar patterns
  • Original example sentences and translations
  • JLPT mock exams with scoring
  • FSRS spaced repetition system
  • 10 smart quiz types
  • Custom card creation with AI assistance
Features
Read full description

ことのは Kotonoha: a Japanese learning app built around the JLPT Kotonoha (言の葉) is an original Japanese study app. It has 11,500+ JLPT vocabulary words, 465 grammar patterns, and example sentences and translations written by our own team, not generic templates. Start with hiragana and katakana, then work up to N1 vocabulary and grammar, all in one app. [HIGHLIGHTS] Why Kotonoha • Everything in English: word meanings, example translations, explanations and AI answers, plus an English voice that reads the meanings aloud in autoplay • Complete JLPT vocabulary: N5, N4, N3, N2 and N1, 11,500+ words in total • JLPT mock exams: realistic section proportions, countdown timer, automatic scoring and pass probability • Grammar pattern bank: 465 JLPT grammar patterns from N5 to N1 • Kana trainer: all 208 hiragana and katakana characters, with stroke-order animations and native audio • FSRS spaced repetition: scheduling based on the science of memory, so you remember longer and review less • Natural-sounding TTS Japanese audio for every word and example sentence • Original examples, usage notes and mnemonic hints, so vocabulary doesn't turn into rote memorization • 10 smart quiz types: fill in the blank, synonyms, word usage, grammar fill-in-the-blank, reading passage, dialogue listening, kanji reading, kanji spelling, meaning, and listen and choose • Kana readings and pitch accent shown, so you learn the right pronunciation and accent [HIGHLIGHTS] JLPT mock exams Mock exams modeled on the real JLPT: • Choose N5, N4, N3, N2 or N1 • Full mix of grammar, reading and listening • Countdown timer, instant automatic scoring, section scores and pass probability • If your connection drops mid-exam, you can resume (your question credits aren't wasted) Dialogue listening with synced transcripts Real JLPT-style listening questions, with male and female voices in synthesized dialogues. In review you can: • Change the playback speed (0.85× / 1× / 1.25×) • Open the transcript, which highlights each sentence as it plays FSRS smart review Kotonoha uses FSRS (Free Spaced Repetition Scheduler), a more accurate memory model than the classic Anki algorithm. It works out the best time to review each card, so each word that appears is one you're about to forget. Reminders Daily review reminders, streak-at-risk alerts and a weekly summary. Premium subscribers get reminders based on the words you missed recently, at most one per day. Custom cards Words from your textbook or a drama that aren't in the built-in list can become your own cards. Type a word and AI fills in the reading, meaning and an example sentence, and you can edit every field. Custom cards join your daily review and can be exported as CSV. 10 cards on the free plan, up to 5,000 with Premium. * Premium subscription Subscribe to unlock right away: • 10 smart quiz types and JLPT mock exams • 300 advanced AI uses per day (5 on the free plan) • Up to 5,000 custom cards in 50 decks (10 on the free plan) • 5 additional Japanese voices • Personalized study reminders The price is shown in the App Store before you subscribe. Manage or cancel any time in iPhone Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions. After you cancel, you keep access until the end of the current billing period. Privacy Kotonoha doesn't sell or share your personal data. Your study records are used only for personalization inside the app, such as smart review scheduling and reminders. All data is sent over HTTPS. You can delete your account and all study data at any time from Settings. Full Privacy Policy: https://nano-logics.com/privacy Support and feedback The app has a built-in Feedback feature. Tell us about any bug or suggestion. We're a small team and we read every message. Email: support@nano-logics.com Terms of Use Subscriptions and use of this app are governed by Apple's standard Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

蔡姐姐/茱莉亞4 screens
Kotonoha4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 at none against Kotonoha's 2. Kotonoha's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 40 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Kotonoha sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 ships an update every 40 months, Kotonoha every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 versus Kotonoha: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter蔡姐姐/茱莉亞Kotonoha
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 40 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size198 MB37 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChi Hsien LaiJIA CING CHEN

In-app purchases

None

蔡姐姐/茱莉亞

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Kotonoha

Subscriptions2
  • Kotonoha Premium7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Kotonoha Premium Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 free?
蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kotonoha free?
Kotonoha is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 or Kotonoha have ads?
Neither 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 nor Kotonoha shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 or Kotonoha?
蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 ships an update every 40 months, and Kotonoha every 3 days. Most recently, 蔡姐姐/茱莉亞 was updated on October 27, 2026 and Kotonoha on October 31, 2026.

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