Comparison

OwnWords vs Narae

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

Head to head
About

OwnWords

Features
Read full description

Learn Korean from the words you actually use. OwnWords turns your everyday diary entries into natural Korean practice. Write about your food, plans, feelings, travel, K-dramas, friends, or work in English, then learn the Korean vocabulary and phrases that match your real life. No more generic textbook phrases you might never say. Your Korean grows from your own words. What you can do: - Write naturally in English - Get a natural Korean translation - Save personal vocabulary from each entry - Hear Korean words and phrases aloud - Review with flashcards and quizzes - Track streaks, XP, levels, and milestones - Keep your diary and progress on your device How it works: 1. Write a short diary entry in English. 2. Translate it into natural Korean. 3. Practice the words and phrases that came from your own life. Privacy-first: Your diary entries, vocabulary, and progress are stored on your device. No account is required. To translate an entry or request grammar tips, the relevant text is sent securely to our translation provider for processing and is not stored on our servers. The provider may process and retain it according to its own commercial API data handling practices. If you export, import, or share content, you choose where that content goes; the destination app or service you select may then handle that data outside of our control. Free users can try OwnWords before subscribing. OwnWords Premium gives full access to all features, including diary translation, vocabulary, flashcards, quizzes, stats, and milestones. Subscription details: OwnWords Premium Monthly is an auto-renewable monthly subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://learnyourownkorean.github.io/privacy/ Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Narae

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Narae helps global learners speak, read, and master Korean โ€” at their own pace, with real, AI-powered feedback. Whether you're preparing for TOPIK, planning a trip to Korea, or falling in love with K-content, Narae brings together the three things every Korean learner needs: clear lessons, a smart pronunciation coach, and structured exam practice. WHAT MAKES NARAE DIFFERENT โ€ข AI PRONUNCIATION COACH Speak Korean out loud and get instant, syllable-level feedback. Built on speech recognition tuned for non-native speakers โ€” so you know exactly what to fix. โ€ข TOPIK PREPARATION Practice every section โ€” vocabulary, listening, reading, and writing โ€” organized by year and level. Track your accuracy and pinpoint your weak spots. โ€ข HANGUL FROM THE GROUND UP Learn the Korean alphabet step by step with the same keypad layout used in Korea, so what you learn here transfers directly to your phone and computer. โ€ข WATCH, SPEAK, IMPROVE Every lesson combines video, recording, and feedback on a single screen. No bouncing between apps โ€” just learn and respond in the moment. โ€ข DESIGNED FOR GLOBAL LEARNERS The interface is built for learners outside Korea, with multi-language support including English, Burmese, and Nepali โ€” with more on the way. WHO IT'S FOR โ€ข Students preparing for the TOPIK exam (Levels 1-6) โ€ข K-drama and K-pop fans who want to understand more than subtitles โ€ข Travelers, exchange students, and global Hallyu fans WHAT TO EXPECT โ€ข Bite-sized lessons that fit a 10-minute commute โ€ข Real Korean voices, not synthesized robots โ€ข Pronunciation scoring at the syllable and word level โ€ข Offline-friendly lessons for low-bandwidth study sessions Start with Hangul, build up through TOPIK levels, and speak with confidence โ€” wherever you are in the world. Questions or feedback? Email us at dsgloville@gmail.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://dsedue.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://dsedue.com/privacy

Screenshots

OwnWords4 screens
Narae4 screens

Verdict

The call

OwnWords and Narae are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters โ€” price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. OwnWords sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month and Narae sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
OwnWords versus Narae: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOwnWordsNarae
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyโ€”Every 10 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS15.115.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size35 MB53 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDina CeriDaesung Glovil Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

OwnWords

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Monthly$3.991 Month
1 purchases

Narae

Subscriptions1
  • Narae Korean Education Program$29.991 Month

Questions

Is OwnWords free?
OwnWords is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Narae free?
Narae is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do OwnWords or Narae have ads?
Neither OwnWords nor Narae shows ads.

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