# ManabuLab vs NihonMaster

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NihonMaster at none against ManabuLab's 3. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ManabuLab sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. NihonMaster asks for nothing beyond the download.

ManabuLab ships an update weekly, NihonMaster every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ManabuLab | NihonMaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manabulab-learn-japanese/id6759396325/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **72** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Size | 223 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CAGATAY TURKILERI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1878427428) | [joppe montezinos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1890497008) |

## What reviewers say

### ManabuLab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manabulab-learn-japanese/id6759396325)

Master Japanese alphabets, kanji with mnemonics, and everyday vocabulary. Build grammar understanding and reading skills from the start with structured lessons and a smart review system. Designed for beginners to develop real language proficiency.

**Highlights:** Hiragana & Katakana mastery, Kanji with visual mnemonics, Everyday vocabulary building, Clear grammar explanations, Reading & listening practice, Smart review system

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly ManabuLab Premium | $12.99 | per month |
| Yearly ManabuLab Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Lifetime ManabuLab Premium | $99.99 | one-time |


### NihonMaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihonmaster/id6761620677)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ManabuLab free?

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

### Is NihonMaster free?

NihonMaster is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do ManabuLab or NihonMaster have ads?

Neither ManabuLab nor NihonMaster shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ManabuLab or NihonMaster?

ManabuLab ships an update weekly, and NihonMaster every 5 days. Most recently, ManabuLab was updated on October 24, 2026 and NihonMaster on October 14, 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.*