# Level Up Kanji vs Nihongo Explorer

The clearest difference is ads: Level Up Kanji at none against Nihongo Explorer's shown. Level Up Kanji also leads on iOS requirement (6.0 vs 13.0). Nihongo Explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

Level Up Kanji ships an update every 2 months, Nihongo Explorer every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Level Up Kanji | Nihongo Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/level-up-kanji/id916996293/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 10 MB | 771 MB |
| Requires iOS | **6.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tien Le](https://appshunter.io/developer/840899581) | [KEI NAGASE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1784427302) |

## What reviewers say

### Level Up Kanji

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/level-up-kanji/id916996293)

Learn Japanese Kanji with a game-like experience. Progress through levels based on popular characters and improve your writing proficiency. Features 2136 Joyo Kanji words across 55 levels.

**Highlights:** Learn 2136 popular Joyo Kanji, 55 progressive levels, Game-like learning experience, Improve writing proficiency, Facebook sharing for level progression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Nihongo Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nihongo-explorer/id6749262478)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Level Up Kanji free?

Level Up Kanji is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Nihongo Explorer free?

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

### Do Level Up Kanji or Nihongo Explorer have ads?

Nihongo Explorer shows ads; Level Up Kanji does not.

### Which is updated more often, Level Up Kanji or Nihongo Explorer?

Level Up Kanji ships an update every 2 months, and Nihongo Explorer every 4 days. Most recently, Level Up Kanji was updated on October 3, 2026 and Nihongo Explorer on October 7, 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.*