# Sakura NL vs HelloStory

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HelloStory at none against Sakura NL's 4. Sakura NL's advantage is update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sakura NL sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. HelloStory asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Sakura NL against 5.0 for HelloStory. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 9 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Sakura NL ships an update every 8 days, HelloStory every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sakura NL | HelloStory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-nl/id6475717882/reviews) | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellostory-japanese-stories/id6746239421/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Size | 53 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yuta Takahashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1690098795) | [Chong Li](https://appshunter.io/developer/933612154) |

## What reviewers say

### Sakura NL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sakura-nl/id6475717882)

Learn Japanese through engaging video lessons and real-life contexts. This app supports learners from beginner to advanced levels, making language acquisition fun and practical. Discover Japanese culture and progress at your own pace towards fluency.

**Highlights:** Video-based lessons, Real-life contexts, Cultural insights, Step-by-step learning, All skill levels supported

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium | $39.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium | $59.99 | per year |


### HelloStory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hellostory-japanese-stories/id6746239421)

This app helps you improve your Japanese language skills by reading graded stories tailored to your JLPT level. It offers instant translations, native speaker audio, and customizable display modes. Build a personalized vocabulary list with AI-powered flashcards for effective review.

**Highlights:** Graded Japanese stories by JLPT level, Bilingual translations for words and sentences, Native speaker audio recordings, Multiple display modes (Kanji, Hiragana, Romaji), Personalized vocabulary list with AI flashcards

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Sakura NL free?

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

### Is HelloStory free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Sakura NL or HelloStory?

Sakura NL and HelloStory are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 9 ratings respectively.

### Do Sakura NL or HelloStory have ads?

Neither Sakura NL nor HelloStory shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Sakura NL or HelloStory?

Sakura NL ships an update every 8 days, and HelloStory every 2 months. Most recently, Sakura NL was updated on November 4, 2026 and HelloStory on November 5, 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.*