# Trace and Learn! Japanese vs ColumnSteps

The clearest difference is ads: Trace and Learn! Japanese at none against ColumnSteps's shown. Trace and Learn! Japanese also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 26.0). ColumnSteps's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 months). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Trace and Learn! Japanese ships an update every 6 months, ColumnSteps every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trace and Learn! Japanese | ColumnSteps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-and-learn-japanese/id957100363/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **13** | — |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 34 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Makorino](https://appshunter.io/developer/957100362) | [Katsuhiko Yao](https://appshunter.io/developer/1543188534) |

## What reviewers say

### Trace and Learn! Japanese

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trace-and-learn-japanese/id957100363)

Practice writing Japanese Hiragana and Katakana characters by tracing them on your screen. Progress through increasingly challenging levels and unlock cute animations as you master each letter.

**Highlights:** Trace Hiragana and Katakana characters, Progressive difficulty levels, Unlockable cute animations, Interactive learning, Character recognition feedback

**In-app purchases:** none


### ColumnSteps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/columnsteps-addition/id6796877851)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trace and Learn! Japanese free?

Trace and Learn! Japanese is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ColumnSteps free?

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

### Do Trace and Learn! Japanese or ColumnSteps have ads?

ColumnSteps shows ads; Trace and Learn! Japanese does not.

### Which is updated more often, Trace and Learn! Japanese or ColumnSteps?

Trace and Learn! Japanese ships an update every 6 months, and ColumnSteps every 3 days. Most recently, Trace and Learn! Japanese was updated on November 1, 2026 and ColumnSteps on October 31, 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.*