# Ludus vs Kimchi Reader

The clearest difference is monetization model: Ludus at freemium against Kimchi Reader's subscription. Ludus also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (157 vs 12). Kimchi Reader's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 79%). On price, rating, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ludus sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Kimchi Reader sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Ludus against 4.9 for Kimchi Reader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ludus has 157 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of Ludus's written reviews are positive against 100% of Kimchi Reader's.

Ludus ships an update weekly, Kimchi Reader every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ludus | Kimchi Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (157 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ludus-language-learning/id6749568166/reviews) | **[4.9 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kimchi-reader/id6757434354/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **157** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 79.2% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 10 days |
| Monetization | **Freemium** | Subscription |
| Size | 184 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ludus-Language, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1818287014) | [Kimchi Reader Sàrl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1866923207) |

## What reviewers say

### Ludus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ludus-language-learning/id6749568166)

Master Korean and French with structured lessons focusing on grammar and vocabulary. Learn Hangul, understand language structure, and practice with interactive games and flashcards. Progress through themed 'stadiums' to build fluency.

**Highlights:** Structured grammar and vocabulary lessons, Learn Hangul alphabet, Spaced repetition flashcards, Multiplayer and solo language games, Progress tracking through 'stadiums', Character leveling system

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Academic Weapon | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $59.99 | per year |


### Kimchi Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kimchi-reader/id6757434354)

Learn Korean through immersion with real media like YouTube videos and e-books. Instantly look up word definitions, grammar, and Hanja meanings. Mine sentences for flashcards and sync with Anki for spaced repetition.

**Highlights:** Immerse with YouTube and e-books, Instant tap-to-define dictionary, Sentence mining for flashcards, Anki sync for spaced repetition, Smart content recommendations, Monolingual dictionary access

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Kimchi Reader 30 Days Access | $12.99 | one-time |
| Kimchi Reader 365 Days Access | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ludus free?

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

### Is Kimchi Reader free?

Kimchi Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Ludus or Kimchi Reader?

Kimchi Reader is rated higher. Ludus averages 4.8 out of 5 from 157 ratings, while Kimchi Reader averages 4.9 from 12 ratings.

### Do Ludus or Kimchi Reader have ads?

Kimchi Reader shows ads; Ludus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ludus or Kimchi Reader?

Ludus ships an update weekly, and Kimchi Reader every 10 days. Most recently, Ludus was updated on November 6, 2026 and Kimchi Reader on October 31, 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.*