# SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook vs Shinkansen smartEX App

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook at 69% against Shinkansen smartEX App's 17%. SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.7). Shinkansen smartEX App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Shinkansen smartEX App asks for nothing beyond the download.

SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shinkansen smartEX App has 607 ratings behind it against 60, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook's written reviews are positive against 17% of Shinkansen smartEX App's.

SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook ships an update every 3 months, Shinkansen smartEX App monthly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook | Shinkansen smartEX App |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speakeasy-japanese-phrasebook/id865416632/reviews)** | [1.7 (607 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shinkansen-smartex-app/id1253336330/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 60 | **607** |
| Positive reviews | **69.2% of reviews** | 16.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#156** |
| Size | 52 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocketglow LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497555859) | [Central Japan Railway Company](https://appshunter.io/developer/454429903) |

## What reviewers say

### SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speakeasy-japanese-phrasebook/id865416632)

This phrasebook helps English speakers learn essential Japanese for travel. It offers over 1,000 phrases with phonetic translations and native speaker audio. Practice with flashcards and use the built-in translator for quick communication.

**Highlights:** 1,000+ essential travel phrases, Phonetic translations and native audio, Flashcards for practice, Built-in translator, Offline functionality, Search and favorites

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual | $8.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $19.99 | one-time |


### Shinkansen smartEX App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shinkansen-smartex-app/id1253336330)

**Currently charting:** #156 Top Free · Travel (US App Store)

Easily reserve Shinkansen seats, hotels, and activities. Enjoy discounts for early bookings and flexible changes. Access station and train service information, and use QR tickets or designated IC cards for seamless travel.

**Highlights:** Reserve Shinkansen seats, Book hotels and activities, Early booking discounts, Free reservation changes, Select seats from map, QR-Ticket and IC card boarding, Fingerprint authentication login

**Features:** Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook free?

SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shinkansen smartEX App free?

Shinkansen smartEX App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook or Shinkansen smartEX App?

SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook is rated higher. SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook averages 4.9 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Shinkansen smartEX App averages 1.7 from 607 ratings.

### Do SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook or Shinkansen smartEX App have ads?

Neither SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook nor Shinkansen smartEX App shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook or Shinkansen smartEX App?

SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook ships an update every 3 months, and Shinkansen smartEX App monthly. Most recently, SpeakEasy Japanese Phrasebook was updated on November 6, 2026 and Shinkansen smartEX App on November 6, 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.*