Best Free Japanese Learning Apps

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.8 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated October 2026

MARU is the household name in free japanese learning, but it's far from the only option. We track 250+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Free Japanese Learning Apps (October 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaMARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaFree4.9★ (18K)YesYesNov 2026
2renshuu - Japanese learningrenshuu - Japanese learningFree4.9★ (1.5K)NoYesOct 2026
3Learn Japanese!! Kana & KanjiLearn Japanese!! Kana & KanjiFree4.8★ (23K)NoYesNov 2026
4Easy Japanese for BeginnersEasy Japanese for BeginnersFree4.7★ (234)NoNoOct 2026
5Learn Japanese: SenseiLearn Japanese: SenseiFree4.9★ (1.9K)NoNoOct 2026
6Mirai JapaneseMirai JapaneseFree4.7★ (525)NoYesOct 2026
7Japanify Japanese Learning AppJapanify Japanese Learning AppFree—YesNoMay 2026
8Japanese Learning AppJapanese Learning AppFree—NoNoOct 2026

Top Picks for Free Japanese Learning

MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana#1

MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana by Overdreamer, LLC

Free Beginner Kana Practices
Editor's Choice
📚 Education
4.9😊(18K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 1
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 2
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 3
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 4
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 5
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana screenshot 6

Master Japanese Hiragana and Katakana with this engaging app. It offers authentic pronunciation, diverse practice methods, and vocabulary building to make learning enjoyable and effective. Start your Japanese journey with a supportive mascot and smart learning tools.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Fun way to learn Japanese
  • 👍 Great for memorizing hiragana and katakana
  • 👍 User-friendly and simple
  • 👍 Convenient and easy to use
  • 👍 Helpful for reinforcing learning
  • 👍 Affordable lifetime subscription
  • 👍 Modular and customizable
  • 👍 Cute and motivating
  • 👍 Effective for beginners
  • 👍 Smooth and clean interface
  • 👍 Helpful for dyslexic learners
  • 👍 Excellent for daily practice

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Issues with distinguishing similar sounds
  • 🐛 Lack of writing practice
  • 🐛 Limited vocabulary
  • 🐛 Ads can be disruptive for some users
renshuu - Japanese learning#2

renshuu - Japanese learning by Michael Hominick

Pick up words, kanji, and more
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.9😊(1.5K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 1
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 2
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 3
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 4
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 5
renshuu - Japanese learning screenshot 6

Learn Japanese vocabulary, kanji, and grammar through engaging quizzes and games. Offers personalized learning paths, rich study materials with audio and images, and a unique quiz system designed for the Japanese language. Enjoy a fun, ad-free experience with a supportive community.

What We Love

  • 👍 Helpful for learning Japanese
  • 🎨 Cute and engaging design
  • 🔓 Extensive free features
  • 🤝 Responsive and caring developers
  • 📚 Comprehensive learning resources
  • 🎮 Fun and interactive games
  • 🌱 Evolving character motivates learning
  • 🧠 Effective for memorization and retention
  • 🗣️ Useful for practicing speaking and writing
  • 🌐 Supportive and active community

Room to Improve

  • 🤯 Overwhelming UI for some users
  • 🕰️ Occasional performance issues
  • 🔒 Certain features locked behind paywall
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji#3

Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji by Luli Languages LLC

Hiragana, Katakana & Grammar
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.8😊(23K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji screenshot 1
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji screenshot 2
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji screenshot 3
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji screenshot 4
Learn Japanese!! Kana & Kanji screenshot 5

Master Japanese from basic characters to reading kanji and forming sentences. This app offers a structured, offline learning path for beginners, covering hiragana, katakana, vocabulary, grammar, and conjugation up to N5 level.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great language application
  • 🚀 Fantastic app to learn hiragana characters
  • 👍 Helpful and useful for beginners
  • 👍 Well-balanced mix of lessons
  • 👍 Teaches writing and pronunciation
  • 👍 Tracks progress and focuses on weak areas
  • 👍 Engrossing and makes learning enjoyable
  • 👍 Worth the price for the content provided

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Lacks explanations for some concepts
  • 🐛 Confusing wording in explanations
  • 🐛 Not enough example sentences
  • 🐛 Finicky writing recognition
  • 🐛 Crashes on certain devices
  • 💰 Requires payment to unlock full content

More Free Japanese Learning apps to explore

FAQ about Free Japanese Learning

What are the best free japanese learning apps for iPhone?
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana tops our free japanese learning apps ranking as of October 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 18K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of October 2026.
We track 250+ free japanese learning apps on the iOS App Store as of October 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.