# Kanji Step vs Nihongo Learn

The clearest difference is ads: Nihongo Learn at none against Kanji Step's shown. Kanji Step's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kanji Step sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Nihongo Learn sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Kanji Step ships an update every 2 days, Nihongo Learn monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kanji Step | Nihongo Learn |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-learn/id6759975922/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 27 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [JIHUN JO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855392770) | [Stephen Dudley](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882062889) |

## What reviewers say

### Kanji Step

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kanji-step/id6756845218)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


### Nihongo Learn

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-learn/id6759975922)

Master Japanese with interactive lessons covering kana, kanji, vocabulary, and grammar. Practice with AI conversation partners, mock exams, and spaced repetition. Offers guided paths from beginner to advanced levels.

**Highlights:** Interactive kana and kanji learning, 2,000+ kanji with stroke order, JLPT N5-N1 vocabulary and grammar, AI conversation practice, Spaced repetition system (SRS), JLPT mock exams, Progress tracking and analytics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kanji Step free?

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

### Is Nihongo Learn free?

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

### Do Kanji Step or Nihongo Learn have ads?

Kanji Step shows ads; Nihongo Learn does not.

### Which is updated more often, Kanji Step or Nihongo Learn?

Kanji Step ships an update every 2 days, and Nihongo Learn monthly. Most recently, Kanji Step was updated on September 21, 2026 and Nihongo Learn on October 8, 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.*