Comparison

Nihongo Chat vs Unlock Hanzi

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

Head to head
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.

About

Unlock Hanzi

This app transforms your phone's lock screen into a learning tool for Chinese characters. It displays one HSK word at a time until mastered, with an integrated handwriting practice feature. Learn at your own pace without pressure or tracking.

Highlights
  • Lock screen widget for continuous learning
  • HSK word list (5,000+ words)
  • Self-paced learning
  • Handwriting practice canvas
  • Learned word history
  • Progress tracking by HSK level
  • Offline functionality
Read full description

Unlock Hanzi turns your Lock Screen into the easiest place to learn Chinese. One HSK word (pinyin, characters, and meaning) stays on your Lock Screen and Widget until you've truly learned it. No timers, no pressure. When you're ready, write it by hand in the app and move on to the next word. HOW IT WORKS • Add the widget to your Lock Screen and Home Screen • See the current word every time you check your phone • Open the app and practice writing it with your finger FEATURES • 5,000+ words from the HSK words list, ordered from HSK 1 to 6 • Self-paced: the word only changes when you say so • Handwriting canvas: write, clear, repeat freely • History of every word you've learned, with your own drawings • Day streak and progress by HSK level • No accounts, no ads, no tracking — everything stays on your device Chinese vocabulary sticks when you see it often and write it by hand. Unlock Hanzi builds both habits into something you already do dozens of times a day: glancing at your phone.

Screenshots

Nihongo Chat4 screens
Unlock Hanzi4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Unlock Hanzi at free against Nihongo Chat's paid. Nihongo Chat's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Nihongo Chat ships an update daily, Unlock Hanzi every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Nihongo Chat versus Unlock Hanzi: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNihongo ChatUnlock Hanzi
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size34 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTak YanJaebok Lee

Customer experience

Nihongo Chat

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Unlock Hanzi

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Nihongo Chat

No in-app purchases

None

Unlock Hanzi

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nihongo Chat free?
Nihongo Chat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Unlock Hanzi free?
Unlock Hanzi is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Nihongo Chat or Unlock Hanzi have ads?
Unlock Hanzi shows ads; Nihongo Chat does not.
Which is updated more often, Nihongo Chat or Unlock Hanzi?
Nihongo Chat ships an update daily, and Unlock Hanzi every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nihongo Chat was updated on October 11, 2026 and Unlock Hanzi on October 7, 2026.

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