Comparison

PhonetiKit vs 在留 Zairyu

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

Head to head
About

PhonetiKit

Features
Read full description

When your phone's system language isn't Chinese, Chinese contacts lose proper A-Z sorting. They all end up under "#". PhonetiKit fixes this. Scan your contacts, automatically generate pinyin phonetic names for Chinese names, and restore proper sorting with one tap. Key Features: - Smart scan — Auto-detect contacts missing phonetic names - Batch update — Add phonetics to all contacts at once - Preview changes — Review every modification before applying - Polyphonic character detection — Automatically flags characters with multiple readings and suggests the correct pronunciation - Polyphonic audit — Scan existing phonetic names for incorrect readings and fix them - Phonetic audit — Browse, search and manually edit existing phonetic names - Search & filter — Find contacts by name, filter by status - Organization support — Handles company-only contacts - Mixed names — Correctly processes Chinese + English names Privacy First: - 100% local — no data leaves your device - No personal data collection, no third-party SDKs - No network requests whatsoever

About

在留 Zairyu

Features
Read full description

在留 Zairyu helps foreign residents in Japan track their residence card (在留カード) expiry dates and never miss a renewal deadline. 【Features】 ■ Expiry Countdown · Days remaining displayed at a glance · Application window start date calculated automatically per visa type · Status color coding: Safe / Window Open / Urgent / Critical ■ Residence Card OCR Scan · Point your camera at your residence card to auto-fill name, visa type, and expiry date · All processing happens on-device — your card data never leaves your phone ■ Push Notifications · Reminder 30 days before expiry (free) · Pro unlocks up to 5 alert stages: 90 / 60 / 30 / 14 / 7 days before expiry · Long-press a notification banner to snooze for 3 or 7 days ■ Document Checklist · Required renewal documents listed by visa category · Direct links to the official Immigration Services Agency website ■ Widgets · Home screen widgets: Small, Medium, Large · Large widget shows up to 3 cards simultaneously · Lock screen widgets: Circular, Rectangular, Inline (Pro only) ■ iCloud Sync · All card data stored in your own iCloud private database · Zero access by the developer ■ Multiple Cards (Pro) · Manage residence cards for your entire family · Add custom labels to each card ■ Pro App Icons (Pro) · Choose from Night and Dawn alternate icons 【Privacy】 Camera is used solely for on-device OCR. Images and scan results are never transmitted. No personal data collected, no ads, no third-party SDKs. 【Languages】 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 繁體中文 · 한국어 Built-in renewal window timelines and processing day estimates for each visa category. Stay ahead of your expiry — Zairyu reminds you before it's too late.

Screenshots

PhonetiKit4 screens
在留 Zairyu4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: 在留 Zairyu at Free against PhonetiKit's $0.99. 在留 Zairyu also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). PhonetiKit's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

在留 Zairyu is free to download; PhonetiKit costs $0.99 up front. 在留 Zairyu sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. PhonetiKit asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PhonetiKit ships an update every 6 months, 在留 Zairyu fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 3 level
PhonetiKit versus 在留 Zairyu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhonetiKit在留 Zairyu
Price$0.99Free — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.016.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer宗正 王TOMONARI NATSUKAWA

In-app purchases

None

PhonetiKit

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

在留 Zairyu

One-time1
  • Zairyu Pro$3.99

Questions

Is PhonetiKit free?
PhonetiKit costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is 在留 Zairyu free?
在留 Zairyu is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do PhonetiKit or 在留 Zairyu have ads?
Neither PhonetiKit nor 在留 Zairyu shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PhonetiKit or 在留 Zairyu?
PhonetiKit ships an update every 6 months, and 在留 Zairyu fortnightly. Most recently, PhonetiKit was updated on October 31, 2026 and 在留 Zairyu on October 28, 2026.

Other comparisons