Comparison

GENKI Conjugation Cards vs Ringotan

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

Head to head
About

GENKI Conjugation Cards

Master Japanese verb and adjective conjugations with this interactive flashcard app. Practice by speaking or typing, and focus on tricky forms with smart card removal. Includes comprehensive coverage of elementary-level conjugations and detailed rule explanations.

Highlights
  • Verb and adjective conjugation practice
  • Speaking and typing practice modes
  • Smart card removal for focused study
  • Comprehensive elementary-level coverage
  • Detailed conjugation rule explanations
  • Example sentences and illustrations
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Firmly master the conjugation of Japanese verbs and adjectives! This app helps you to master the conjugation of elementary verbs and adjectives through practice at your own pace. This is the official iPhone app for GENKI: An Integrated Course in Elementary Japanese, a best-selling series of Japanese learning materials boasting more than 3.5 million copies sold. *This app will not play audio if your device is in Silent mode (Vibrate mode). To hear the audio, please turn Silent mode off. Advantages •You can view the cards and listen to the recordings as you like, enabling you to study at your own pace. •The different conjugations are mastered through two types of practice: saying the conjugated forms aloud or typing them. •All conjugation forms studied at the elementary level are covered: 18 for verbs and 10 for adjectives •As you go through each conjugation card deck, the cards answered correctly are automatically removed, allowing you to efficiently focus on the trickier words in the next round of practice. Study methods Study: Practice each word by looking at the cards and repeatedly saying the conjugated forms aloud. (1) Each card has a word and the conjugation type to be practiced. Say the word in the conjugated form indicated. (2) Tap the sound icon to check whether you said the conjugated form correctly. (3) Tap the * icon to check the conjugated form in writing. (4) Study the use of the conjugated form by referring to the example sentence and illustration on the back side of the card. (5) Tap the Rule icon to see the conjugation rule. Check: Test your retention of each conjugated form by typing in your answers.* (1) Type in the conjugated form as instructed. (2) If you entered the correct form, the card will be removed from the study set. Cards answered incorrectly or skipped will remain in the deck for further practice. *To study with the Check method, you will need to add a Japanese keyboard to your iPhone settings before starting. Handy features •List All conjugation forms of each word are listed in this feature, with the words arranged in a-i-u-e-o order. A check mark is displayed next to each conjugation form that has been mastered and the Study view card for each entry can be opened, allowing you to review the conjugations via the list. •Rule This feature lists the rules for all 28 conjugation types covered by the app, enabling you to quickly look up the way to form conjugations such as the passive, the causative, the causative passive, and the tricky te-form. •Shuffle Mode Activating this mode will cause the app to display the cards in the Study mode in random order, rather than the default order. Shuffling the deck will help you to more firmly master the material. •Tutorials The tutorials provide helpful lessons on how to add a Japanese keyboard and operate each function. —Ads: The app does not display any ads that might interfere with learning.

About

Ringotan

Master Japanese Kanji by practicing writing. This app uses advanced input detection and spaced repetition to help you learn quickly and effectively. Focuses on the physical act of writing characters, not just recognition.

Highlights
  • Learn Kanji by writing
  • Advanced input detection
  • Spaced repetition system (SRS)
  • Focus on writing, not just reading
  • Frequent updates with new features
Features
Read full description

Learn Kanji by actually writing it! Ringotan is the first app built from the ground up to teach you how to WRITE Japanese Kanji, not just read them. By combining advanced input detection with industry-standard SRS (spaced repetition) algorithms, Ringotan ensures you learn as fully and quickly as possible. ----------------- Ringotan is free for a limited time. We update frequently, so be sure to check back for new features!

Screenshots

GENKI Conjugation Cards4 screens
Ringotan2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ringotan at 96% against GENKI Conjugation Cards's 34%. Ringotan also leads on price (Free vs $6.99) and rating (4.9 vs 2.7). GENKI Conjugation Cards's advantage is chart position (#92 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Ringotan is free to download; GENKI Conjugation Cards costs $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Ringotan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ringotan has 574 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of GENKI Conjugation Cards's written reviews are positive against 96% of Ringotan's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GENKI Conjugation Cards ships an update every 9 months, Ringotan every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
GENKI Conjugation Cards versus Ringotan: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGENKI Conjugation CardsRingotan
Price$6.99Free — better
Rating2.7 (22 ratings)4.9 (574 ratings) — better
Positive reviews34.2% of reviews95.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22574 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#92 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.012.2 — better
Further details — not scored
Size134 MB206 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Japan Times Publishing, Ltd.Daniel Pflughoeft

Customer experience

GENKI Conjugation Cards

All ratings21 ratings
Positive28.6%
Neutral14.3%
Negative57.1%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive34.2%
Neutral10.5%
Negative55.3%

Ringotan

All ratings567 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.4%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive95.7%
Neutral2.2%
Negative2.2%

Bugs and requests

GENKI Conjugation Cards

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Ringotan

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional issues with stroke order recognition
  • Some kanji pronunciations not accurately represented

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add dark mode option
  • Allow users to create and save custom kanji lists
  • Provide more detailed keyword hints before writing
  • Implement device sync to continue progress across platforms
  • Add notification system to remind users of upcoming reviews

In-app purchases

None

GENKI Conjugation Cards

No in-app purchases

None

Ringotan

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GENKI Conjugation Cards free?
GENKI Conjugation Cards costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ringotan free?
Ringotan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GENKI Conjugation Cards or Ringotan?
Ringotan is rated higher. GENKI Conjugation Cards averages 2.7 out of 5 from 22 ratings, while Ringotan averages 4.9 from 574 ratings.
Do GENKI Conjugation Cards or Ringotan have ads?
Neither GENKI Conjugation Cards nor Ringotan shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GENKI Conjugation Cards or Ringotan?
GENKI Conjugation Cards ships an update every 9 months, and Ringotan every 3 days. Most recently, GENKI Conjugation Cards was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ringotan on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons