KanjiAI vs Nihongo Manabi
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
KanjiAI
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KanjiAI: Kanji & Japanese Reading Master kanji. Read real Japanese. Build toward JLPT N4 to N1 โ all from one free app. A flashcard loop that actually works Set your lesson range, choose your parts of speech, and study the exact vocabulary you've been taught. Type the reading in kana or romaji, hear natural audio on every card, and mark words you've truly mastered so they fade into the background. Go deeper with the Top 10,000 Words When you're ready to push further, turn on the Top 10K toggle to add high-frequency vocabulary up to approximately JLPT N1 โ but only words that use kanji you already know. No surprises, just natural expansion. Tap any kanji. Go deeper. Every kanji on every card is a link. Tap it to open its full detail page โ see how it breaks down into components, explore its on and kun readings, find the phonetic component that explains why it sounds the way it does, and read the mnemonic that makes it stick. Navigate recursively through every component. Read real Japanese โ at your level Every unit has three AI-generated reading passages built from vocabulary you already know. A focused unit passage, a daily life scene, and a short narrative. Each passage includes: Furigana toggle โ show or hide readings Colour-coded kanji so you instantly see what you know vs. what's new Tap any word or kanji for its meaning Grammar cards explaining the patterns used, with real sentence examples Read-aloud with word-by-word highlighting Everything is pre-generated and fully offline โ no API key, no internet required. A clear path to JLPT KanjiAI is structured around the JLPT progression from N4 to N1. As you advance through your lessons, you're building toward real exam readiness โ not just memorising isolated characters, but understanding how grammar and vocabulary work together in context. Fully offline. Free. Forever. No account. No subscription. No internet connection required. Your progress stays on your device. Everything in the app โ every flashcard, every reading passage, every kanji detail โ works completely offline. A companion app for Japanese learners studying with Duolingo. Not affiliated with Duolingo, Inc.
Nihongo Manabi
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Want to learn Japanese but afraid to speak? Nihongo Manabi gives you an AI tutor that's available 24/7 to practice with - no need to find a Japanese friend, no language exchange queue, no fear of being judged. [Why learners pick Nihongo Manabi] AI Tutor - always on Practice ordering ramen, navigating Shinjuku station, business introductions, or any scenario. AI corrects your mistakes instantly and explains in your language. JLPT mock exam + AI explanations Five levels (N5 to N1). When you get a question wrong, an AI explains the grammar point in your native language. Better than a cram school. Watch & Learn (NEW) 80+ short teaching videos right in the app, vertical TikTok-style scroll. Anime catchphrase breakdowns, traveler phrases, JLPT grammar, kana drills - new content daily. Pronunciation Scoring (NEW) Tap the microphone on any phrase, say it aloud, get an instant A/B/C/D/F grade plus a transcript of what your iPhone heard. On-device speech recognition - your audio never leaves your phone. Camera Translate (NEW) Point at any Japanese sign, menu, or station board. The AI reads the kanji, translates, and extracts 3-5 key vocabulary words. Perfect for travel. 275+ vocab with smart SRS N5 to N1 essential words. The algorithm schedules your reviews - you just open the app. Streak Badges Earn badges for 3 / 7 / 14 / 30 / 60 / 100 / 200 / 365 consecutive days. Your longest streak is preserved forever. Dark mode + Tri-lingual UI Full dark mode. Switch between Traditional Chinese, English, and Korean anytime. [Who it's for] - Japanese beginners starting from zero - JLPT N5-N1 candidates - Anime fans who want to understand without subtitles - Travelers prepping for a Japan trip - Anyone who wants a 24/7 speaking partner [About the subscription] Free tier covers all core learning features. Nihongo Pro unlocks: - Unlimited AI conversations - JLPT N1 / N2 advanced prep - Unlimited camera translation - No ads NT$99/month or NT$590/year (7-day free trial). Subscription auto-renews. Cancel anytime via Settings - Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: KanjiAI at none against Nihongo Manabi's shown. KanjiAI also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). Nihongo Manabi's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.2). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
KanjiAI ships an update every 2 days, Nihongo Manabi every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.
| Parameter | KanjiAI | Nihongo Manabi |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 2 days โ better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No โ better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 26.2 | 16.4 โ better |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 107 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Samir Patel | Chuang Lung Chien |
In-app purchases
KanjiAI
No in-app purchases
Nihongo Manabi
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is KanjiAI free?
Is Nihongo Manabi free?
Do KanjiAI or Nihongo Manabi have ads?
Which is updated more often, KanjiAI or Nihongo Manabi?
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