Comparison

NihonGo vs ScriptPad

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

Head to head
About

NihonGo

Features
Read full description

Master Japanese step by step — from your first hiragana letter to real conversations. NihonGo isn't just a flashcard app. It's a complete Japanese course, built for the parts of the language generic apps skim over. Whether you're here for anime, manga, J-pop, JLPT prep, Tokyo travel, or heritage reasons — NihonGo meets you at your level and walks you through the tricky parts with clarity. A COMPLETE JAPANESE COURSE • Structured unit-by-unit curriculum — beginner to conversational • Four lesson types per unit: Recognize, Practice, Produce, Master • Per-unit guidebooks with grammar notes and culture tips • 100% offline — zero data use, learn on the train JAPANESE-SPECIFIC, NOT GENERIC • Kana explorer — hiragana + katakana with mnemonics and native audio • Kanji root explorer — high-frequency kanji + the words built from them • Keigo explorer — 敬語 in casual, polite, respectful, and humble side by side • Wasei-eigo gallery — Japan's English with origin stories (サラリーマン, マイペース, ドンマイ) • Grammar drills — particles, te-form, conjugation, keigo quick drills JLPT-READY • N5 + N4 vocabulary packs aligned to official exam ranges • Targeted drills for grammar + counters + mimetic words SIX WAYS TO PRACTICE • Flashcards with native Japanese audio on every word • Multiple-choice, word-matching, word-building • Listen-and-pick, listen-and-build, true/false • Spaced repetition (SRS) — cards return exactly when you'd forget • Themed sentence packs for real-life conversations • SmartPacks — curated vocab around anime, J-pop, business, news • Custom decks — build your own from any word you meet BUILT TO KEEP YOU GOING • Daily challenges — a fresh mini-goal every day • Streaks with Streak Freeze for sick days • 50 levels, XP rewards, and 40+ achievements • Celebratory session-complete moments • Smart reminders that adapt to your pace • Statistics that track every word, streak, and session LEARN IN YOUR LANGUAGE Interface in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, Malay, and Filipino. WHO IT'S FOR • Absolute beginners — start from こんにちは • Anime and manga fans — finally catch what's actually being said • Travelers — restaurant, train, and shopping phrases you'll use • JLPT N5 and N4 candidates • Heritage learners reconnecting with the language NihonGo is free to start. A Pro subscription unlocks JLPT packs, kanji roots, premium SmartPacks, and unlimited custom decks — but the core curriculum, kana, keigo, wasei-eigo, daily practice, and streak system stay free forever. 日本語、始めよう — let's begin. Terms of Use: https://app4a.github.io/learn-japanese/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://app4a.github.io/learn-japanese/privacy.html

About

ScriptPad

Master Japanese reading, writing, typing, and speaking with this comprehensive learning tool. It offers structured vocabulary, JLPT preparation, and interactive handwriting practice with animated stroke guides. Engage in various games to reinforce learning and improve pronunciation.

Highlights
  • Animated stroke order guides for characters
  • Handwriting practice with drawing canvas
  • Complete JLPT vocabulary (N5-N1)
  • 10,000+ words with audio
  • Pronunciation recording and comparison
  • Six interactive learning games
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Learn Japanese: read, write, type, and speak. From your first Hiragana stroke to JLPT N1. ScriptPad is a complete Japanese learning app with over 10,000 words, all with clear audio. Study structured vocabulary units, the full JLPT vocabulary for N5, N4, N3, N2, and N1, and real world katakana words, then practice everything by writing it by hand. JAPANESE BASICS Every Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji character with animated stroke order guides. Trace each stroke on the drawing canvas and build real muscle memory. VOCABULARY, JLPT, AND KATAKANA Beginner vocabulary units with games. The complete JLPT word list from N5 to N1 with example sentences, flashcards, and handwriting practice. Katakana words from menus, konbini shelves, and city signs. Every word plays audio with the correct reading, even for tricky kanji. WRITE BY HAND A drawing canvas for every word. Character outlines guide your strokes. Stroke order animations show exactly how each character is written. Works beautifully with Apple Pencil on iPad. SPEAK, TYPE, AND PLAY Record yourself and compare your pronunciation. Practice typing Japanese with instant feedback. Make words stick with games: picture matching, character building, bingo, word blocks, word invaders and more. FEATURES 10,000+ Japanese words with audio Complete JLPT vocabulary: N5, N4, N3, N2, N1 Example sentences with audio Katakana words practice Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji stroke order animations Flashcards and handwriting practice Speak and compare pronunciation recording 6 practice games Kanji mode: toggle between Kana and Kanji Word meanings in English, Chinese, Korean and more iPad Writing Mode with Apple Pencil support 14 page themes Works on iPhone and iPad Fully offline, no internet required One time purchase, no subscription Whether you are a beginner learning Hiragana or preparing for the JLPT exam, ScriptPad is your Japanese writing practice app. Start writing Japanese today.

Screenshots

NihonGo4 screens
ScriptPad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: ScriptPad at every 3 weeks against NihonGo's every 2 months. On price, ads, 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. NihonGo sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ScriptPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NihonGo ships an update every 2 months, ScriptPad every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
NihonGo versus ScriptPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNihonGoScriptPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size86 MB495 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNam ChoHugo Alberto Garza Jr

In-app purchases

3 purchases

NihonGo

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$39.99
1 purchases

ScriptPad

One-time1
  • Japanese Learning Premium$6.99

Questions

Is NihonGo free?
NihonGo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ScriptPad free?
ScriptPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do NihonGo or ScriptPad have ads?
Neither NihonGo nor ScriptPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NihonGo or ScriptPad?
NihonGo ships an update every 2 months, and ScriptPad every 3 weeks. Most recently, NihonGo was updated on November 5, 2026 and ScriptPad on October 31, 2026.

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