Comparison

NihonGO Dokusho vs Nihongo Renshuu

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

Head to head
About

NihonGO Dokusho

Features
Read full description

Read your way to Japanese fluency. NihonGO Dokusho is a story reader built for intermediate learners: real, natural Japanese โ€” and every word, kanji, or grammar point you don't know is one tap from its card. โ€”โ€” READ โ€”โ€” Original stories in natural Japanese, written for learners who've finished a beginner course. Turn furigana on or off. Turn per-sentence English on or off. Open a word-by-word breakdown behind any sentence. Three text sizes, plus day and night themes. Every chapter and scene is titled in English, so you always know exactly where you are in the story. โ€”โ€” TAP โ€”โ€” Every underlined word is a card, drawn from a library of 7,700 vocabulary words, 2,200 kanji and 600 grammar points. In vocabulary mode, tap a word for its meaning, reading, and example sentences โ€” which link on to their own cards. Switch to kanji mode to open any character with its stroke order, radicals, and a memory hint. Grammar points open from the sentence breakdown. Conjugated words resolve to their dictionary form automatically. โ€”โ€” LISTEN โ€”โ€” Every sentence and every scene is read aloud in a clear, natural-sounding Japanese voice โ€” real recordings that download with each book and play offline, not a robotic device voice. Listening Mode plays hands-free with full controls on your lock screen and Control Center โ€” skip, pause, and play from your headphones like a podcast. โ€”โ€” REMEMBER โ€”โ€” Every vocabulary word you tap is saved to your study notebook โ€” the word, its reading, and its meaning. The notebook shows just the words due for review: clear one you already knew and it spaces out over days; reveal one you'd forgotten and it comes back soon โ€” until it's simply known. โ€”โ€” YOUR LIBRARY โ€”โ€” A complete original novel โ€” 25 chapters across five free parts โ€” plus two companion editions of the same story: a plain Japanese edition with no study aids, and a full English translation. Read the study edition first, graduate to the plain Japanese, or check the English when you must. Each book downloads with a single tap and works fully offline. Your reading position, settings, and notebook sync across your devices through your own iCloud. โ€”โ€” PRIVATE BY DESIGN โ€”โ€” No ads, no accounts, no tracking, no analytics. Nothing leaves your device except the books you choose to download. Part of the NihonGO family, alongside NihonGO Dominos (the vocabulary game) and NihonGO Manabi (the textbook course) โ€” three apps, one shared, frequency-built card library, so what you learn in one is what you meet in the others.

About

Nihongo Renshuu

Features
Read full description

Master Japanese anytime, anywhere. 100% offline. Zero distractions. Ready to level up your Japanese? Stop just memorizing. Start practicing! Whether you are a total beginner or aiming for JLPT N1, Nihongo Renshuu is built for you. Just 5 minutes a day can make a difference. Why you will love it: โ€ข 100% Offline Study on the train, in the park, or anywhere. No internet needed. โ€ข The Complete Journey Master basic Hiragana & Katakana, all the way to advanced JLPT N1. โ€ข Smart Practice Modes Test yourself with Vocabulary, Kana, and "Find the Missing Kanji" quizzes. โ€ข Your Pace, Your Rules Set time limits, choose the number of questions, or play Time Attack mode. โ€ข Interactive Flashcards Track what you know and focus on the words that need more review. โ€ข Learn From Mistakes Get detailed reviews after every quiz to understand your weak points. Turn your free time into productive study time. Download Nihongo Renshuu today and start your journey!

Screenshots

NihonGO Dokusho4 screens
Nihongo Renshuu4 screens

Verdict

The call

NihonGO Dokusho and Nihongo Renshuu 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
NihonGO Dokusho versus Nihongo Renshuu: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNihonGO DokushoNihongo Renshuu
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size669 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJUERGEN WOLFGANG HAMMERMD ARIF KHAN

In-app purchases

None

NihonGO Dokusho

No in-app purchases

None

Nihongo Renshuu

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NihonGO Dokusho free?
NihonGO Dokusho is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nihongo Renshuu free?
Nihongo Renshuu is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do NihonGO Dokusho or Nihongo Renshuu have ads?
Neither NihonGO Dokusho nor Nihongo Renshuu shows ads.

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