Best Japanese Learning Apps

237+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.8 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated May 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good japanese learning apps. We benchmark 237+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Compare top Japanese Learning Apps (May 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaMARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaFree4.9★ (18K)YesYesSep 2026
2Japanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiJapanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiFree4.8★ (22K)NoYesSep 2026
3Duolingo: Language LessonsDuolingo: Language LessonsFree4.7★ (5.4M)YesYesSep 2026
4Teuida: Learn LanguagesTeuida: Learn LanguagesFree4.9★ (58K)YesYesSep 2026
5renshuu - Japanese learningrenshuu - Japanese learningFree4.9★ (1.3K)NoYesSep 2026
6LingoDeer - Learn LanguagesLingoDeer - Learn LanguagesFree4.7★ (28K)NoYesSep 2026
7Bunpo: Language LearningBunpo: Language LearningFree4.9★ (18K)NoYesSep 2026
8Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!Free4.7★ (7.1K)NoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for 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

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Issues with distinguishing similar sounds
  • 🐛 Lack of writing practice
  • 🐛 Limited vocabulary
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji#2

Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji by Luli Languages LLC

Hiragana, Katakana & Grammar
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.8😊(22K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji screenshot 1
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji screenshot 2
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji screenshot 3
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji screenshot 4
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji screenshot 5

Master Japanese writing with comprehensive lessons for Hiragana and Katakana. Build vocabulary and grammar skills through engaging quizzes and spaced repetition. Practice reading and writing with audio pronunciation, all offline.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great language application
  • 🚀 Fantastic app to learn hiragana characters
  • 👍 Helpful and useful for beginners
  • 👍 Well-balanced mix of lessons

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Lacks explanations for some concepts
  • 🐛 Confusing wording in explanations
  • 🐛 Not enough example sentences
Duolingo: Language Lessons#3

Duolingo: Language Lessons by Duolingo, Inc

Languages, Math, Music & Chess
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.7😊(5.4M ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#1in Education
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 1
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 2
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 3
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 4
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 5
Duolingo: Language Lessons screenshot 6

Learn languages, math, music, and chess through fun, bite-sized lessons. Build vocabulary, grammar, and real-world skills with a science-based methodology. Track progress and stay motivated with a global community.

What We Love

  • 🤩 Fun and entertaining learning experience
  • 🎉 Motivating streak and league features
  • 🎨 Cute and engaging animations
  • 📚 Effective for learning vocabulary and basics

Room to Improve

  • 🤖 Issues with voice recognition and pronunciation feedback
  • 🤑 Aggressive monetization tactics and paywall for key features
  • 🤯 Frustrating heart/health system that penalizes mistakes

More Japanese Learning apps to explore

FAQ about Japanese Learning

What are the best japanese learning apps for iPhone?
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana tops our japanese learning apps ranking as of May 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 18K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top japanese learning apps we rank are free to download, including MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana and Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji.
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of May 2026.
We track 237+ japanese learning apps on the iOS App Store as of May 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app helps beginners learn Japanese Hiragana and Katakana. It focuses on making the learning process enjoyable and effective through various practice methods, authentic audio, and vocabulary building exercises.
The app is free to use with minimal ads. Users can choose to upgrade to a Pro Version through a one-time purchase for an ad-free experience, offline practice, writing and typing exercises, and access to more vocabulary words.

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