Comparison

NihonGo! vs JLPT Step N5

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

Head to head
About

NihonGo!

Features
Read full description

Learn Japanese the natural way — through real conversations and practical phrases. This app guides you with short dialogues, key vocabulary (like ē„­ć‚Š/matsuri and ę–‡åŒ–/bunka), and clear practice prompts so you can speak with confidence in everyday situations. • Real-life scenarios: Practice speaking in contexts like attending festivals and exploring culture. • Essential vocabulary: Learn meanings, pronunciation, and usage with helpful examples. • Smart exercises: Mix of multiple-choice and natural sentence building to reinforce learning. • Friendly guidance: Tutor-style feedback to keep you calm, focused, and improving. • Bite-sized lessons: Short, effective sessions that fit your day. Perfect for beginners and travelers who want to sound natural — not textbook. Start learning today and speak Japanese with confidence. Highlights • Short, conversation-first lessons • Natural sentence practice with immediate feedback • Vocabulary with readings and meanings • Clear prompts in simple language • Designed for daily progress Ready for your first ā€œē„­ć‚Š (matsuri)ā€? Learn culture, not just words — and speak naturally, faster.

About

JLPT Step N5

Features
Read full description

Boost your JLPT score with the most comprehensive vocabulary app designed specifically for test takers. JLPT Step features essential words frequently tested on the JLPT exam. KEY FEATURES ā—† Smart Learning Tools • Interactive flashcards with smooth flip animations • Multiple quiz modes to test and reinforce your knowledge • Daily Word feature for consistent, bite-sized learning • Favorites list to save and review important words ā—† Complete Word Information Each word includes: • Clear, easy-to-understand definitions • Real-world example sentences ā—† Study Anywhere • Clean, distraction-free interface • Dark mode for comfortable studying • Progress saved automatically

Screenshots

NihonGo!4 screens
JLPT Step N54 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NihonGo! at none against JLPT Step N5's 1. NihonGo! also leads on ads (none vs shown). JLPT Step N5's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 11 months) and device support (3 vs 1). On price there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. JLPT Step N5 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NihonGo! asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NihonGo! ships an update every 11 months, JLPT Step N5 daily. The most recent releases landed on July 4, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences Ā· 1 level
NihonGo! versus JLPT Step N5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNihonGo!JLPT Step N5
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.613.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSurya ArifJIHUN JO

In-app purchases

None

NihonGo!

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

JLPT Step N5

One-time1
  • Remove Ads$1.99

Questions

Is NihonGo! free?
NihonGo! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is JLPT Step N5 free?
JLPT Step N5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NihonGo! or JLPT Step N5 have ads?
JLPT Step N5 shows ads; NihonGo! does not.
Which is updated more often, NihonGo! or JLPT Step N5?
NihonGo! ships an update every 11 months, and JLPT Step N5 daily. Most recently, NihonGo! was updated on July 4, 2026 and JLPT Step N5 on September 15, 2026.

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