Comparison

Ditdah CW vs Nihongo Chat

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

Head to head
About

Ditdah CW

Features
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Learn Morse code the way real operators do — by ear, not by chart. Ditdah CW uses the proven Koch method to train your ear from day one. No subscriptions. No ads. No paywalls. One purchase, everything included. - LEARN - Koch Method lessons — 13 structured lessons, 2 characters at a time - Farnsworth Mode — wider spacing to build ear recognition faster - Proven progression — advance only when you hit 90% accuracy PRACTICE - Listen & Decode — letters, words, and sentences at your chosen WPM - Send Practice — tap the screen like a real CW key, short for dit, long for dah - Custom Text — practice your callsign, CQ calls, or any text you choose - Adjustable speed — 5 to 30 WPM, dial it to your level TEST - HAM Exam Simulation — 40 questions, mixed characters, 13 WPM - Letter, Number, and Q-Code tests - Instant results with missed character breakdown REFERENCE - Full alphabet, numbers, and essential Q-codes — all in one place - Tap any character to hear it - Works completely offline - BUILT FOR SERIOUS OPERATORS Ditdah is designed for HAM radio candidates and experienced operators who want a no-nonsense, professional training tool. Not a game. Not a flashcard app. A real CW trainer. CW tone frequency is adjustable (400–900 Hz). Streak tracking keeps your daily practice consistent. Statistics show your WPM growth and weakest characters over time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Nihongo Chat

Master Japanese vocabulary and grammar for all JLPT levels with a spaced repetition system. Build custom decks from a comprehensive dictionary and track your learning progress with daily check-ins and review calendars. Enjoy a privacy-focused, offline experience.

Highlights
  • Spaced Repetition System (SRS)
  • JLPT Level Selection (N5-N1)
  • Built-in Japanese Dictionary
  • Custom Deck Building
  • Daily Reminders & Streaks
  • Offline Functionality
  • Multiple-Choice Quiz Mode
Features
Read full description

Study Japanese vocabulary and grammar at any JLPT level — N5 through N1 — with spaced repetition that brings each word back just before you'd forget it. FREE TO START, AND FREE WHERE IT COUNTS 61 cards are yours immediately — 10 to 15 at every level — with no account, no time limit and no ads. The full 214,000-entry Japanese dictionary is free too: look anything up, any time, without hitting a paywall. PICK YOUR LEVEL Choose N5, N4, N3, N2 or N1 and study only that level. No advanced grammar thrown at a beginner, no basics slowing down an advanced learner. Switch whenever you're ready. 11,008 CARDS ACROSS FIVE LEVELS N1 4,262 · N2 2,593 · N3 1,954 · N4 1,202 · N5 997. Of those, 1,621 are hand-written cards carrying a usage note and two example sentences each — the N1 vocabulary and every level's grammar patterns. The rest are dictionary-verified word entries, 753 of which now carry an example sentence as well. STUDY THE WAY MEMORY ACTUALLY WORKS Grade each card Again, Hard, Good or Easy and the scheduler sets your next review. Every button shows you exactly when that card comes back, before you press it. Swipe right to move on, left to go back and re-read a card you have already graded. Set your session length right on the study screen, so ten free minutes is ten minutes of work instead of a wall of four hundred reviews. KNOW WHERE YOU ACTUALLY STAND The Stats tab reads your own review history and names the one thing most worth fixing — showing up, clearing your backlog, how much is sticking, or the balance between vocabulary and grammar — with the numbers behind it, and a projected finish date for your level at your current pace. No invented percentiles. No comparison against users who don't exist. BUILD YOUR OWN DECK Look up any word in the bundled dictionary and add it as a card. Edit any card in the app, including the built-in ones, and revert to the original whenever you like without losing your review history. Adding and editing one card at a time is always free. Filter your library down to just the cards you added, or just the ones you starred, and study only those. QUIZ, FILL IN THE BLANK, AND LISTEN Multiple-choice quizzes test recall under time pressure. Fill in the blank takes one word out of a real sentence and asks you to put it back. Tap any Japanese word or sentence to hear it read aloud, or let each card read itself as it arrives. ON IPHONE AND IPAD One app, both devices. On iPad the type and the layout are built for the larger screen rather than stretched to fit, the library grows from two columns to five, and it works in landscape. BACK UP FOR FREE Export your progress and your own cards at any time, at no cost. Your work is yours. ONE OPTIONAL UNLOCK A single one-time purchase opens the whole library — every card at every level — plus bulk import of your own word lists from CSV. Not a subscription. Nothing expires and nothing recurs. PRIVACY Everything runs on your device. No account, no login, no analytics, nothing transmitted anywhere. Dictionary data derived from JMdict, a project of the Electronic Dictionary Research and Development Group, used under their licence. Nihongo Chat is an independent study tool, not affiliated with or endorsed by the Japan Foundation or Japan Educational Exchanges and Services, administrators of the JLPT.

Screenshots

Ditdah CW4 screens
Nihongo Chat4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Nihongo Chat at daily against Ditdah CW's every 3 weeks. 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Ditdah CW ships an update every 3 weeks, Nihongo Chat daily. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Ditdah CW versus Nihongo Chat: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDitdah CWNihongo Chat
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMustafa SucuTak Yan

In-app purchases

None

Ditdah CW

No in-app purchases

None

Nihongo Chat

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Ditdah CW free?
Ditdah CW is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nihongo Chat free?
Nihongo Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Ditdah CW or Nihongo Chat have ads?
Neither Ditdah CW nor Nihongo Chat shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Ditdah CW or Nihongo Chat?
Ditdah CW ships an update every 3 weeks, and Nihongo Chat daily. Most recently, Ditdah CW was updated on September 20, 2026 and Nihongo Chat on September 9, 2026.

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