JLPT Master vs Rail Typing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
JLPT Master
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Pass the JLPT with a mock exam that fights back. Real N5–N4 timed mocks, practice for every section, flashcards that stick, and every mistake you make becomes your next review — with explanations that actually explain. -YOUR DAILY PLAN, MADE FOR YOU • A short plan every day, built from your own study: cards to review, mistakes to fix and one practice pack • It steers you to the section you've practiced least, so nothing gets left behind • Watch the plan fill up as you go, and switch between N5 and N4 anytime -TURN MISTAKES INTO PROGRESS • Wrong answers from practice and mocks go into your Weak Spots bank • Drill short mixed sets until you clear each one — listening included • Per-section analytics after every mock: vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening • Weekly and monthly accuracy trends so you see progress, not guesses • Explanations that show why an answer is wrong -STUDY CARDS THAT STICK • Teacher-crafted N5 and N4 cards in the JLPT Library — kanji, verbs, nouns, adjectives and more • Preview a card before you add it to your decks • Spaced repetition with Again, Hard, Good and Easy, so words last • A daily queue of New, Learn and Due, with mastery progress per deck • Import your own decks (.apkg) whenever you want -THE REAL EXAM, REHEARSED • Full-length N5–N4 mock exams with the exact section timing of test day • Listening that plays once, no rewind — just like the real hall • Scored the way the JLPT scores: overall pass mark AND sectional cutoffs -PRACTICE THAT FITS YOUR DAY • Short quizzes by section when you have 10 minutes, full mocks when you have more • A few cards from today's queue when you have five • Kanji, vocabulary, grammar, reading and listening — N5 and N4 • Build exam stamina gradually instead of cramming the week before Your exam date is fixed. Your weak points don't have to be. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms of Service: https://nihongo-club-sakura.web.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://nihongo-club-sakura.web.app/privacy
Rail Typing
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新宿 → しんじゅく → shinjuku Learn to read Japanese, one train stop at a time. Rail Typing turns real Japanese train lines into reading practice. At every stop, read the station name: see the kanji and type it in hiragana or romaji, or hear the announcement and name the stop. Ride to the end of the line and you've learned to read dozens of real place names. Hiragana, katakana and kanji readings stick naturally, ride after ride. SIX WAYS TO PLAY, FROM BEGINNER TO FLUENT · Romaji: type station names in romaji, perfect if you're just learning kana · Kana: type in hiragana and get fluent at spelling in kana · Kanji: type the kanji names with the Japanese keyboard · Listening: the name is hidden, so type what you hear · Choice: no keyboard needed, just tap the right syllable, one-handed · English: type English station names on lines like the London Underground REAL LINES, REAL STATIONS · Tokyo's Yamanote, Ginza and Marunouchi lines, Osaka's Midosuji line, plus Kyoto, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Sapporo, Hakodate and London · A Japanese announcement for every station · More lines and cities on the way · The Yamanote line is free forever, and a different "Today's line" is free every day RACE YOUR FRIENDS, BEAT YOURSELF · Battle: quick match against players around the world · Friend rooms: share a code and start together · Ghost races: race your best run, or someone else's · Leaderboards on every line · Collect station stamps as you go · Home Screen widget and daily reminders to keep you practicing For anyone learning Japanese, planning a trip to Japan, into Japanese trains, or just wanting to type faster. ALL-LINES PASS (MEMBERSHIP) The Yamanote line, the daily free line and every mode are free. The All-lines pass unlocks every line, including new cities and lines as they're added. · Choose monthly, yearly (with a free trial for new subscribers) or a one-time purchase · Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase · Subscriptions renew automatically unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period · Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://api.railtyping.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Rail Typing at none against JLPT Master's shown. Rail Typing also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 days). JLPT Master's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price and in-app purchases 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. JLPT Master sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Rail Typing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
JLPT Master ships an update every 5 days, Rail Typing every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | JLPT Master | Rail Typing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 191 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Riho Kobayashi | 渭康 吕 |
In-app purchases
JLPT Master
- JLPT Plus (Monthly)$5.991 Month
- JLPT Plus (Quaterly)$12.993 Months
- JLPT Plus (Yearly)$34.991 Year
Rail Typing
- Rail Pass · Monthly$1.991 Month
- Rail Pass · Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Rail Pass · Lifetime$19.99









