KotoBird vs Nihongo Ride
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
KotoBird
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Listen and answer! Kotoba Bird is a fun quiz app to learn Japanese words through listening. Hear a word and choose the correct answer from 3 options! [This version categories] ・Hiragana (A to N) ・Greetings [Full version "ことバード" includes all categories!] ・Hiragana・Greetings・Numbers・Food・Transport・Places・Katakana・Anime [Features] ・Learn words by ear ・No internet needed, fully offline ・Simple enough for anyone ・Perfect for learners of Japanese
Nihongo Ride
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Nihongo Ride is a calm, focused typing-practice app that actually teaches you Japanese. Most typing games test speed. Nihongo Ride teaches — kana, vocabulary, and real sentences — while you ride your way across Japan, from Tokyo to Kyoto. Type the correct reading and you move forward. Miss a word and it comes back later, exactly when you need it. WHY IT'S DIFFERENT • A built-in mini-IME. Type romaji on your normal keyboard — no system IME, no setup. It accepts every valid spelling (shi or si, tsu or tu, n or nn) and matches your keystrokes to kana in real time. • Learn, don't just race. Every word shows its kana, an optional romaji hint, and its meaning in English and Chinese. • Smart review. Words you mistype flow into a spaced-repetition queue (SM-2), so your practice targets your real weak spots. THREE WAYS TO RIDE • Journey — an immersive ride across Japan; type to keep moving and unlock famous stops. • Time Attack — 60 seconds, as many words as you can. • Practice — a quiet, distraction-free mode for word drills or long passages, with an optional BLIND challenge that hides all romaji hints. CONTENT • 7,000+ words across JLPT N5 to N1, with English and Chinese meanings. • Example sentences and 233 reading passages — from everyday greetings to short literary paragraphs. • Katakana loanwords supported, with foreign-sound digraphs. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • Works fully offline. No sign-up and no account with the developer, no ads, no tracking, and no analytics of any kind. The one optional in-app purchase is handled by the App Store, through your own Apple Account. • Your progress stays on your device. Optional iCloud sync uses your own private iCloud database, which the developer cannot see inside, and the app is fully usable with it switched off. Whether you're starting N5 or polishing N1, Nihongo Ride turns daily typing into real Japanese progress. Hop on and ride.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: KotoBird at 15.0 against Nihongo Ride's 17.0. 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | KotoBird | Nihongo Ride |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | — | Every 2 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 14 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yoichiro Mitsui | Yuhe Ye |
In-app purchases
KotoBird
No in-app purchases
Nihongo Ride
No in-app purchases








