Comparison

JLPT Prep vs Nihongo Flow

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

Head to head
About

JLPT Prep

Features
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Are you ready to pass the JLPT? Whether you want to learn Japanese from scratch for JLPT N5 or achieve fluency with JLPT N1, this is the ultimate Japanese language proficiency test study companion. Master the hardest parts of the exam with intensive JLPT Listening (Choukai) and JLPT Reading (Dokkai) practice. Our structured lessons and Japanese quiz formats perfectly mirror the official JLPT exam. Download now and ace your Japanese test! [ Key Features ] ALL LEVELS COVERED (JLPT N1 - N5) Carefully curated JLPT practice questions tailored for every level—from beginner (N5, N4) to intermediate (N3) and advanced (N2, N1). INTENSIVE JLPT LISTENING PRACTICE Sharpen your ears with high-quality audio tracks featuring native Japanese pronunciation. Perfect your Japanese listening skills with audio speed control and full transcripts. COMPREHENSIVE JAPANESE READING Improve your Japanese reading comprehension with authentic texts, ranging from short paragraphs to long, complex essays. REAL JLPT MOCK TEST FORMAT Simulate the real exam atmosphere. Practice with JLPT mock tests designed with the exact structure and time limits of the actual test. DETAILED EXPLANATIONS & KANJI BREAKDOWNS Don't just guess. Understand your mistakes with in-depth Japanese grammar, vocabulary, and Kanji breakdowns for every question. SMART PROGRESS TRACKING Monitor your daily Japanese study streaks, track your scores, and pinpoint weak areas with smart analytics. OFFLINE STUDY MODE Learn on the go! Download lessons, Japanese vocabulary lists, and audio tracks to study anywhere, anytime without internet. [ Why Choose Our JLPT App? ] Instead of just memorizing isolated words with simple flashcards, our app focuses on the practical application of the Japanese language. Our realistic Japanese listening scenarios and context-rich Japanese reading practice will not only help you pass the official exam but also boost your real-world conversational skills. Start your journey to JLPT success today! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Nihongo Flow

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Nihongo Flow teaches you hiragana, katakana and kanji, builds a vocabulary that sticks, and shows you how Japanese sentences work. A few minutes a day is enough. Explanations are in English or German. VOCABULARY THAT STICKS • Your learning path takes you through the most common words: 2,000, 4,000 or more than 5,800, you choose. • Every word comes back just before you would forget it (spaced repetition). • Practice with flashcards, multiple choice or romaji typing, or say the word out loud and Apple speech recognition checks your pronunciation. • The memory heatmap shows which words are solid and which are fading. HIRAGANA, KATAKANA, KANJI • Hiragana and katakana with all basic and voiced characters, plus 40 N5 kanji with on and kun readings. Quizzes and typing drills in rounds of 10. • Handwriting (Premium): write kana and kanji with your finger and get an instant check of stroke count and size. SENTENCES AND GRAMMAR • Grammar from N5 to N1: 52 lessons and a level check for your grammar level. • Sentence Blocks: see how a sentence snaps together from colored blocks, build your own from words you've learned, and stack verb endings from polite to passive. MORE PATHS • Baby Path: picture first, then the word, the way toddlers learn. • Topic Path: nature, seasons, home and more. • Slang & Colloquial: how people in Japan really talk, with the textbook version for comparison. Includes crude expressions, clearly marked. • Business Japanese & Keigo: 463 forms and terms in 29 chapters. • Immersion: short texts on anime, travel, daily life, news and business. Tap a word to add it to your vocabulary. • Hokkaidō Densetsu (Premium): travel across Hokkaidō in 18 stations, with culture cards, Ainu culture, a collector's album and a dice race against rivals. SENSEI: AI FEATURES FOR AGES 16+ • Chat with Sensei in Japanese or English, as a friendly teacher, an anime character or a business mentor. • Voice call with Sensei (Ultra Maxx): you speak, Sensei listens and answers out loud. • Plus "Teacher explains", example sentences, the Sentence Puzzle, an AI check for your sentences, text correction and "Your level today". • AI features use Claude by Anthropic. They are available from age 16, and only after you agree once. You can withdraw consent anytime in Settings, and you can report any AI answer. Everything else works without AI. KEEP GOING Streaks, levels and XP, "What to learn today?", a Japanese proverb every day and your own avatar. No ads. Speak Japanese? Settings > Course also offers a German course with a Japanese interface. WITHOUT A SUBSCRIPTION OR WITH PREMIUM You need an account with email and password. Without a subscription you learn with energy: each answer uses one point, and energy refills over time. AI features have a daily limit. "Nihongo Flow Premium" gives you unlimited energy, all AI features with no daily limit, handwriting practice and Hokkaidō Densetsu. "Nihongo Flow Ultra Maxx" is Premium plus the voice call with Sensei, up to 15 minutes a day. SUBSCRIPTION TERMS • "Nihongo Flow Premium" is an auto-renewable subscription, billed monthly (1 month) or yearly (1 year). Prices vary by country and are shown in the app before you buy. • You can try Premium free for 3 days, once per Apple Account. Unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the trial ends, it converts to the plan you chose. • Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase or, with a trial, when the trial ends. • The subscription renews automatically for another month or year unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Renewal is charged within the 24 hours before the period ends. • You can manage and cancel it anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://nihongo-flow.app/privacy.html

Screenshots

JLPT Prep4 screens
Nihongo Flow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Nihongo Flow at daily against JLPT Prep's every 4 days. Nihongo Flow also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). 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. JLPT Prep sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Nihongo Flow sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

JLPT Prep ships an update every 4 days, Nihongo Flow daily. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
JLPT Prep versus Nihongo Flow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterJLPT PrepNihongo Flow
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size189 MB95 MB
Age rating4+12+
Developerjaemin parkLEONARD SCHAPER

In-app purchases

2 purchases

JLPT Prep

Subscriptions2
  • 1-month subscription5 variants$2.991 Month
  • 1-year subscription5 variants$19.991 Year
4 purchases

Nihongo Flow

Subscriptions4
  • Nihongo Flow Premium (Monthly)3 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Nihongo Flow Ultra Maxx$29.991 Month
  • Nihongo Flow Premium (Yearly)3 Days trial$79.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Nihongo Flow Ultra Maxx$299.991 Year

Questions

Is JLPT Prep free?
JLPT Prep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nihongo Flow free?
Nihongo Flow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do JLPT Prep or Nihongo Flow have ads?
Neither JLPT Prep nor Nihongo Flow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, JLPT Prep or Nihongo Flow?
JLPT Prep ships an update every 4 days, and Nihongo Flow daily. Most recently, JLPT Prep was updated on October 31, 2026 and Nihongo Flow on October 31, 2026.

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