Comparison

LissN vs Margin

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

Head to head
About

LissN

Enhance your Business English skills with daily news articles narrated by native speakers. Access top business news in both Japanese and English, with integrated vocabulary lookup. Perfect for busy professionals looking to improve their language proficiency.

Highlights
  • Daily featured articles
  • Japanese and English versions
  • Native English narration
  • Vocabulary lookup
  • Business English focus
  • Free one-month trial
Features
Read full description

Delivering 5 featured articles every weekday morning — in both Japanese and English — straight from Nikkei’s top news sources to your iPhone. All articles are narrated in full by native English speakers from the United States and the United Kingdom. Supplement your listening practice with easy vocabulary lookup for words contained within each article. During your daily commute, get caught up on the latest news while brushing up your Business English. No English Textbooks, Just Nikkei Business News Whether it be in the form of an email, a meeting, or a business trip, English is a requirement for today’s businessman or woman. The real challenge is fitting in English study to an already busy day. LissN delivers 5 articles to your device every morning, Monday thru Friday, that you can read at your convenience throughout the day. (3 articles on holidays.) Gathering articles from across NIKKEI Inc.’s paid subscription media including NIKKEI ASIAN REVIEW, the LissN app provides an authoritative source for information written and edited by professionals. Read the news in both Japanese and English to acquire real world Business English skills. Flat-rate Subscription Service Users of this app will be able to view available content with a flat-rate subscription plan. A one month free trial is available to first time users. About the free trial You can receive a free one-month trial with full access to all content and features. After the trial period has ended, your paid subscription will automatically begin in order to ensure continous service without interruption. If you wish to use the free trial only and not continue with the paid subscription, please read “About canceling your subscription” below. About the Basic plan Monthly rate: 5.99 USD (including tax) Time period: One month period beginning from day of subscription signup. About the Unlimited plan Monthly rate: 8.49 USD (including tax) Time period: One month period beginning from day of subscription signup. About payment Your subscription fee will be charged to the iTunes account registered for the iOS device used with our service. Paid subscription begins within 24 hours after the end of the free trial period. If you wish to cancel your subscription, please cancel at least 24 hours before the free trial period ends or you will be charged for the following month. About canceling your subscription Subscription cancellation must be made at least 24 hours before the end of each one month period or you will be charged for the following month. If you wish to cancel your subscription, open the App Store and access your Apple ID (which can be found on the bottom of the Recommendations page). Tap “View Apple ID” and select "Payment Information” from the menu. From this page, you will be able to manage your subscription status. Contact If you experience any issues or would like to contact us for another reason, please use the the Contact form within the app. (Select the gear icon from the left-side menu to access Settings and tap FAQ/Contact.) ABOUT NIKKEI INC. Nikkei Inc. is an Asia’s largest independent business media group, with a 135 year history and network of over 1,300 local and international reporters on the ground in 24 bureaus across Asia Privacy Policy: http://www.nikkei.com/info/privacy.html (Japanese Only) Terms of Use: https://school.nikkei.co.jp/special/lissn/app/terms-of-use.html (Japanese Only)

About

Margin

Features
Read full description

Where languages meet. Look up any word, in any language. Margin uses AI to give you everything you need — definitions, translations, synonyms, antonyms, and example sentences — in the languages you choose. Your vocabulary, your way. Choose a source language, a primary language, and a secondary language. Save words to a personal glossary you can browse anytime. Review with spaced repetition that adapts to your progress. Listen to professional pronunciation. Built for multilingual learners. Margin works across languages, not between two. Whether you're studying Japanese in Chinese, English in French, or Korean in German — just set your languages and go. Free for 7 days with full access.Margin Pro ($6.99/month or $49.99/year) unlocks unlimited lookups, unlimited storage, and professional pronunciation. Privacy Policy: https://theno894.github.io/margin-privacy/ Terms of Use: https://theno894.github.io/margin-privacy/terms.html

Screenshots

LissN4 screens
Margin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Margin at monthly against LissN's every 2 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. LissN sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Margin sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LissN ships an update every 2 months, Margin monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
LissN versus Margin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLissNMargin
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (15 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews8.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings15 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size38 MB18 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNIKKEI INC.悦琪 郝

In-app purchases

2 purchases

LissN

Subscriptions2
  • Basic Plan 1 Month1 Month trial$4.991 Month
  • Unlimited Plan 1 Month1 Month trial$8.491 Month
2 purchases

Margin

Subscriptions2
  • Margin Pro - Monthly$6.991 Month
  • Margin Pro - Annual$49.991 Year

Questions

Is LissN free?
LissN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Margin free?
Margin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do LissN or Margin have ads?
Neither LissN nor Margin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LissN or Margin?
LissN ships an update every 2 months, and Margin monthly. Most recently, LissN was updated on September 23, 2026 and Margin on September 5, 2026.

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