Comparison

Kanjify vs NihongoLoop

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

Head to head
About

Kanjify

Master Japanese kanji with structured lessons, interactive stroke order practice, and intelligent flashcards. Learn readings, meanings, and example sentences to build real understanding and prepare for JLPT levels.

Highlights
  • Structured kanji lessons by chapter/category
  • Animated stroke order practice
  • Spaced repetition smart flashcards
  • Example sentences with readings and translations
  • JLPT N5, N4, N3 coverage
  • Customizable study decks
  • Browse and search kanji library
Features
Read full description

Learning kanji is one of the biggest challenges in mastering Japanese. Kanjify makes it approachable by combining structured lessons, stroke practice, smart flashcards and real reading practice in one focused app. Whether you are just starting out or working toward JLPT N1, Kanjify guides you through all 2,135 kanji you need to know — with the context to actually remember them. Structured Learning Work through kanji organized by JLPT level, chapter and category. Each character comes with its readings, meanings, components and real example sentences, so you understand how it is used, not just what it means. Sentence-building exercises and chapter tests make sure it sticks. Stroke Order Practice Learn to write kanji the right way. Watch animated stroke-by-stroke breakdowns, then practice drawing each character yourself. The app evaluates your strokes in real time so you build the correct habits from the start. Smart Flashcards Reinforce what you have learned with spaced repetition flashcards. Kanjify tracks your performance and focuses your review sessions on the characters that need the most work. Build your own custom decks or study from your favorites. Daily Stories Put your kanji to work with short illustrated stories. Listen to the narration as each sentence is highlighted, and read real Japanese at your level. Kanji Scanner Point your camera at a sign, menu or book — or pick a photo — and instantly look up the kanji in front of you. You can also look up kanji from text in other apps using the share sheet. Look-alike Kanji Compare kanji that are easy to mix up side by side, with tips and their components, so you can tell them apart for good. Widgets Keep your practice one glance away: Kanji of the Day with a quick quiz, your progress and daily challenges, quick access to your flashcard decks, and a scanner shortcut for your Lock Screen and Control Center. Daily Challenges and Streaks Fresh missions every day keep you motivated, and a streak reminder helps you build a lasting habit. What is covered - JLPT N5, N4, N3, N2 and N1 — 2,135 kanji - On and kun readings, meanings and components - Example sentences with furigana and translations - Stroke animation and handwriting practice - Spaced repetition with custom decks - Quizzes and chapter tests - Narrated daily stories - Camera and photo kanji scanner - Home Screen, Lock Screen and Control Center widgets - Light and dark mode - Available in English, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, French and German Kanjify is built for learners who want to make real progress — one character at a time. Questions or feedback? Write to us at kanjifysupport@gmail.com.

About

NihongoLoop

Read full description

Learn Japanese a few minutes at a time. NihongoLoop turns hiragana, katakana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, listening and speaking into short practice loops you can finish anywhere. Instead of long lessons, you get quick, focused exercises that build a real daily habit. Read, listen, answer and speak — then let the app bring back the items you keep missing until they stick. WHAT YOU CAN PRACTICE • Hiragana and katakana drills, plus a Time Attack mode • A full kana dictionary with your accuracy for every row • Vocabulary and kanji reading with image hints and natural-sounding audio • Useful everyday phrases, in both directions • Grammar exercises for particles and sentence patterns • Listening prompts with pre-recorded pronunciation • Speaking practice with pronunciation checks • A new mixed Daily Challenge every day • Situational mixes: konbini, restaurant, train station, hotel and more BUILT FOR CONSISTENCY • Loops take just a few minutes • Streaks and achievements keep you coming back • Stats show your accuracy and recent answers • Weak Items automatically collects your mistakes for focused review LEARN IN YOUR LANGUAGE The whole app, including word meanings and feedback, is available in English, Español, Português (Brasil), Français, Deutsch, Italiano and 한국어. Perfect for beginners and early intermediate learners, JLPT N5 and N4 preparation, anime and manga fans, and anyone planning a trip to Japan. PREMIUM NihongoLoop is free to use. Optional auto-renewable Premium subscriptions remove ads and unlock AI speaking exercises, Weak Items review, custom loop length and unlimited retries. Payment is charged to your store account and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Kanjify4 screens
NihongoLoop4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kanjify at none against NihongoLoop's 4. Kanjify also leads on ads (none vs shown). NihongoLoop's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 8 days) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price 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. NihongoLoop sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Kanjify asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kanjify ships an update every 8 days, NihongoLoop every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 5 level
Kanjify versus NihongoLoop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKanjifyNihongoLoop
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB56 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRonnie Yajima-KokMatteo Applauso

In-app purchases

None

Kanjify

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

NihongoLoop

Subscriptions4
  • Premium Monthly Discount$5.991 Month
  • NihongoLoop Premium Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Premium Yearly Discount7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • NihongoLoop Premium Yearly7 Days trial$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Kanjify free?
Kanjify is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is NihongoLoop free?
NihongoLoop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kanjify or NihongoLoop have ads?
NihongoLoop shows ads; Kanjify does not.
Which is updated more often, Kanjify or NihongoLoop?
Kanjify ships an update every 8 days, and NihongoLoop every 4 days. Most recently, Kanjify was updated on October 28, 2026 and NihongoLoop on October 14, 2026.

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