Comparison

Telling Time vs Romaji Drill

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

Head to head
About

Telling Time

Features
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Help your child learn to tell time on an analog clock with four short games. Play 30 stages in two worlds free, then unlock four more worlds with one purchase. Clock Forest is made for kids ages 5 to 8 and teaches the clock one small step at a time. Start with o'clock, then half past, quarter hours, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, and finally every single minute. Each world adds just one new idea, so children build confidence as they play. FOUR WAYS TO PRACTICE - Set the Clock: move the hands to match the time - Time Quiz: read the clock and pick the right time - Clock Quiz: find the clock that shows the time - Perfect Stop: stop the moving hand at just the right moment LEARN FROM MISTAKES When an answer is wrong, a friendly hint explains how to read the hands, and kids can try the same question again. REWARDS THAT KEEP KIDS GOING Clear stages to meet new friends, spin the reward roulette, and collect 185 items across 6 worlds and 90 stages. MADE FOR FAMILIES - No ads - Try World 1 and 2 (30 stages) for free - Unlock every world with a single one-time purchase - Up to 3 player profiles for siblings

About

Romaji Drill

Features
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Is でんしゃ spelled densya or densha? Both — it depends on which system you use. Most people who struggle with romaji were never told that Japanese has two romanisation systems. Kunrei-shiki is what Japanese schools have taught; since December 2025 the national standard has been based on Hepburn, which passports and station signs also use. When you spell a word in the other system, this app does not simply mark it wrong. It tells you: "That is Hepburn spelling. In Kunrei-shiki it is densya." ■ Three ways to practise ・Pick — choose the correct spelling out of two to four ・Read — read the romaji and work out which word it is ・Write — spell it out on the on-screen keyboard (ABC order or QWERTY; long vowels use the ô key) ■ Every mistake comes with the rule behind it Spell it the other way and you are told "that is Hepburn spelling". Write gakô for がっこう and you are told that a small っ doubles the next consonant. Get it right and the rule is still shown. Nothing advances until you have read it. ■ Results point at rules, not just a score Wrong answers are grouped by the rule you missed — double consonants, long vowels, and so on — so you know what to look at next. ■ Practise in the system you need ・Hepburn — the national standard, also on passports and signs (shi, chi, tsu, sha) ・Kunrei-shiki — what Japanese schools have taught (si, ti, tu, sya) ・Keyboard input — how you actually type (either spelling is accepted) ■ Nine topics Basic kana, voiced kana, contracted sounds, double consonants, long vowels, the n sound, everyday words, place names, and short sentences. 300 questions in all. ■ Romaji chart All three systems side by side, with the rows where they differ highlighted, plus the rules for っ, ー and ん. ■ Time trial How many can you write in 3 minutes? A best score is kept per system. ■ Also ・Japanese, English, 简体中文, 한국어, Español ・No account, no sign-in. Scores and settings stay on your device ・Prefer no ads? A one-time purchase removes them for good

Screenshots

Telling Time4 screens
Romaji Drill4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Telling Time at none against Romaji Drill's shown. On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Telling Time sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Romaji Drill sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Telling Time versus Romaji Drill: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTelling TimeRomaji Drill
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size56 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShojiro YanagisawaRobonet Communications inc.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Telling Time

One-time1
  • Unlock All Worlds$4.99
1 purchases

Romaji Drill

One-time1
  • Turn off ads$1.99

Questions

Is Telling Time free?
Telling Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Romaji Drill free?
Romaji Drill is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Telling Time or Romaji Drill have ads?
Romaji Drill shows ads; Telling Time does not.
Which is updated more often, Telling Time or Romaji Drill?
Telling Time ships an update fortnightly, and Romaji Drill fortnightly. Most recently, Telling Time was updated on October 30, 2026 and Romaji Drill on October 29, 2026.

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