# BALCOM Nihongo vs Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1

The clearest difference is update cadence: Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 at every 3 days against BALCOM Nihongo's every 6 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. BALCOM Nihongo sells 9 one-off in-app purchases and Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

BALCOM Nihongo ships an update every 6 weeks, Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BALCOM Nihongo | Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Size | 102 MB | 137 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.2** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Horizontal Line Co.,Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1781901735) | [BEAK,K.K.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1808079760) |

## What reviewers say

### BALCOM Nihongo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/balcom-nihongo/id6738698251)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| N3 Course - Part 2 | Free | one-time |
| N3 Course - Part3 | Free | one-time |
| N3 Course - Part 1 | Free | one-time |
| N5 Course - Part 3 | Free | one-time |
| N5 Course - Part 2 | Free | one-time |
| N5 Course - Part3 | Free | one-time |
| N4 Course - Part 1 | Free | one-time |
| N4 Course - Part 2 | Free | one-time |
| N5 Course - Part 1 | Free | one-time |


### Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-master-jlpt-n5ton1/id6779050192)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| JLPT月額サブスク | $4.99 | per month |
| JLPT6月額サブスク | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| JLPT年額サブスク | $44.99 | per year |
| JLPT買い切り | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is BALCOM Nihongo free?

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

### Is Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 free?

Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do BALCOM Nihongo or Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 have ads?

Neither BALCOM Nihongo nor Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BALCOM Nihongo or Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1?

BALCOM Nihongo ships an update every 6 weeks, and Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 every 3 days. Most recently, BALCOM Nihongo was updated on October 6, 2026 and Nihongo Master JLPT N5toN1 on September 25, 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.*