# NihongoShadow vs Patapa

The clearest difference is update cadence: NihongoShadow at every 2 days against Patapa's every 2 weeks. NihongoShadow also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NihongoShadow ships an update every 2 days, Patapa every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NihongoShadow | Patapa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patapa/id6808689528/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 37 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MIKIO MOCHIZUKI](https://appshunter.io/developer/6790101638) | [Digital Lighthouse Oy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1604509174) |

## What reviewers say

### NihongoShadow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongoshadow/id6790101636)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Patapa

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/patapa/id6808689528)

Learn Japanese with daily short stories tailored to your JLPT level. Instantly look up word meanings, practice kanji with furigana, and test your comprehension with quick quizzes. Focus on learning without distractions.

**Highlights:** Daily short Japanese stories, JLPT level-specific content, Tap-to-translate vocabulary lookup, Furigana and Romaji options, Five-question comprehension quizzes, Daily JLPT vocabulary practice

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NihongoShadow free?

NihongoShadow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Patapa free?

Patapa is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do NihongoShadow or Patapa have ads?

Neither NihongoShadow nor Patapa shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NihongoShadow or Patapa?

NihongoShadow ships an update every 2 days, and Patapa every 2 weeks. Most recently, NihongoShadow was updated on October 12, 2026 and Patapa on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*