PhonetiKit vs 在留 Zairyu
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PhonetiKit
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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
在留 Zairyu
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
| Parameter | PhonetiKit | 在留 Zairyu |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 宗正 王 | TOMONARI NATSUKAWA |
In-app purchases
PhonetiKit
No in-app purchases
在留 Zairyu
- Zairyu Pro$3.99









