Comparison

NihonGo! vs 2hongo

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

Head to head
About

NihonGo!

Features
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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

2hongo

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Look up a word, then open stroke practice for its kana and kanji. Point your camera at a menu and tap any word you can't read. Follow a grammar pattern back to the conjugation it is built on. 2hongo brings those connections into your Japanese study, with tools you can keep using from your first hiragana to well beyond JLPT N1. START WITH THE FOUNDATIONS • Learn hiragana and katakana from the first character. • Explore basic grammar and how Japanese sentences work. • Revisit the basics whenever a new topic calls for them. EXPLORE WORDS IN CONTEXT • Look up meanings, readings, example sentences, and verb conjugations. • Browse related words and JLPT or themed vocabulary lists. • Scan Japanese text with your camera or from a photo, then tap recognized words to look them up. UNDERSTAND THE GRAMMAR BEHIND THE SENTENCE • Study grammar patterns with their formation rules and examples. • Revisit the conjugation a pattern is built on. • Look up unfamiliar words in example sentences. PRACTICE READING AND WRITING • Read articles with vocabulary, grammar, and translation aids. • Watch kana and kanji stroke order, trace characters, and practice writing from memory. TURN DISCOVERIES INTO REGULAR STUDY • Save words in notebooks and revisit them with spaced-repetition review. • Follow a daily Sensei study plan shaped around your level, goals, and available time. KEEP EXPLORING BEYOND N1 • Work through JLPT N5–N1 vocabulary, grammar, and kanji. • Keep expanding your vocabulary and checking unfamiliar usage after the exam. • Convert hiragana and katakana, switch between full-width and half-width text, and work with Japanese era dates. STUDY YOUR WAY • Use 2hongo alongside your textbook, class, or independent study. • Choose an interface in English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, or Traditional Chinese through your device's language settings. • Keep your learning progress connected across the web and mobile apps with your account. FREE AND PAID • Look up words for free, with no account needed. • A free account opens every JLPT N5–N1 article, kanji, vocabulary list, and grammar lesson to read, and adds saved words with review, kana and N5 study, and a daily Sensei study plan. • Standard unlocks study at every level: progress tracking, quizzes, audio, stroke practice, text scan, and custom notebooks. • Plus adds a generous monthly allowance of AI credits for asking Sensei and refining searches. • Max offers the most AI credits and the highest limits across the app. Standard, Plus, and Max are optional auto-renewing monthly subscriptions, and each can start with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers. Terms of Use: https://www.2hongo.com/en/terms

Screenshots

NihonGo!4 screens
2hongo4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NihonGo! at none against 2hongo's 4. 2hongo's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. 2hongo sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. NihonGo! asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NihonGo! ships an update every 11 months, 2hongo every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
NihonGo! versus 2hongo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNihonGo!2hongo
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB94 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperSurya ArifTWO LEXIS CO., LTD.

In-app purchases

None

NihonGo!

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

2hongo

Subscriptions4
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is NihonGo! free?
NihonGo! is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 2hongo free?
2hongo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NihonGo! or 2hongo have ads?
Neither NihonGo! nor 2hongo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NihonGo! or 2hongo?
NihonGo! ships an update every 11 months, and 2hongo every 3 weeks. Most recently, NihonGo! was updated on October 28, 2026 and 2hongo on October 28, 2026.

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