Best Japanese Learning Apps

241+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.8 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated July 2026

Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji is the household name in japanese learning apps, but it's far from the only option. We track 241+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Japanese Learning Apps (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Japanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiJapanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiFree4.8★ (22K)NoYesJul 2026
2LingoDeer - Learn LanguagesLingoDeer - Learn LanguagesFree4.7★ (27K)NoYesJul 2026
3Bunpo: Language LearningBunpo: Language LearningFree4.9★ (18K)NoYesJul 2026
4Teuida: Learn LanguagesTeuida: Learn LanguagesFree4.9★ (55K)YesYesJul 2026
5Mango Languages: LearningMango Languages: LearningFree4.8★ (44K)NoYesJul 2026
6Airlearn - Language LearningAirlearn - Language LearningFree4.8★ (43K)NoYesJul 2026
7renshuu - Japanese learningrenshuu - Japanese learningFree4.9★ (1.2K)NoYesJul 2026
8MARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaMARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaFree4.9★ (15K)YesYesJul 2026

Top Picks for Japanese Learning Apps

Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji#1

Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji by Luli Languages LLC

Hiragana, Kanji, and Grammar
Editor's Choice
📚 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
LingoDeer - Learn Languages#2

LingoDeer - Learn Languages by LingoDeer Co., Ltd.

Learn Japanese,Korean,Spanish
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.7😊(27K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 1
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 2
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 3
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 4
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 5
LingoDeer - Learn Languages screenshot 6

This app offers structured language lessons created by teachers, making learning effective and easy. It covers 20 languages, from beginner alphabets to conversational fluency, with interactive exercises and native speaker audio.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great for learning Asian languages
  • 👍 Thorough grammar and sentence structure explanations
  • 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing design
  • 📚 Comprehensive lessons and review features

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Paywall after initial lessons
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Limited free content
Bunpo: Language Learning#3

Bunpo: Language Learning by Bunpo Language Learning

Learn Japanese,Korean,Spanish
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.9😊(18K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 1
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 2
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 3
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 4
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 5
Bunpo: Language Learning screenshot 6

Master multiple languages with this comprehensive learning app. It offers detailed grammar explanations, vocabulary building, and smart review systems to help you progress from beginner to advanced levels. Learn Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, and Chinese with interactive exercises and personalized study plans.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Helpful for learning Japanese
  • 👍 Well-designed and organized
  • 👍 Explains grammar and usage well
  • 👍 Customizable to learning needs

Room to Improve

  • 🔒 Too much content locked behind paywall
  • 🐛 Bugs and crashes reported
  • 🐛 Issues with keyboard and text display

More Japanese Learning Apps apps to explore

4
Teuida: Learn Languages
Teuida: Learn Languages
Teuida: Learn Languages
Easy Spanish, Japanese, Korean
Free

Learn to speak Korean, Japanese, and Spanish through interactive, first-person POV scenarios. Practice essential expressions and gain confidence with AI-powered pronunciation feedback. Focus on speaking from day one with short, effective lessons.

First-person POV speaking practiceReal-life scenario simulationsAI pronunciation analysis
📚 Education
(55K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Mango Languages: Learning
Mango Languages: Learning
Mango Languages: Learning
Course: Learn Foreign Language
Free

Learn to speak foreign languages with conversational lessons focused on real language, culture, and progress. Features native speaker recordings, pronunciation tools, and personalized reviews. Download lessons for offline access and enjoy a distraction-free learning experience.

Conversational lessons70+ languagesNative speaker recordings
📚 Education
(44K)
freemium
6
Airlearn - Language Learning
Airlearn - Language Learning
Airlearn - Language Learning
Spanish French Japanese German
Free

Master over 25 languages with concise lessons, cultural insights, and practical dialogues. Engage in weekly leagues and track your progress to achieve fluency. Start learning for free today.

Master 25+ languagesConcise grammar and vocabulary lessonsRich cultural insights
📚 Education
(43K)
free with in-app purchases
7
renshuu - Japanese learning
renshuu - Japanese learning
renshuu - Japanese learning
Pick up words, kanji, and more
Free

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.

Personalized learning pathsExtensive vocabulary and kanji databaseGrammar explanations and quizzes
📚 Education
(1.2K)
free with in-app purchases
8
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana
Free Beginner Kana Practices
Free

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.

Learn all Hiragana and Katakana charactersAuthentic Japanese voice recordings14 practice varieties
📚 Education
(15K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
어휘로 배우는 일본어 능력시험 JLPT 5급~1급
Free

This app teaches Japanese kanji by focusing on vocabulary words. It offers writing practice with stroke detection and spaced repetition reviews for effective memorization. Learn kanji readings naturally through over 5,000 JLPT-aligned words.

Vocabulary-first kanji learningWriting lessons with stroke detectionSpaced repetition reviews
📚 Education
(6.9K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Learn Japanese - Drops
Learn Japanese - Drops
Learn Japanese - Drops
Japanese Vocab Learning Games
Free

Learn Japanese vocabulary through engaging, visually-driven mini-games. Daily five-minute lessons make learning addictive and effective, focusing on practical words and essential scripts like Kanji and Kana. Build a consistent learning habit with this fun, illustrated approach.

Illustrated vocabulary learningDaily 5-minute lessonsQuick swipe and tap games
📚 Education
(2K)
freemium
11
Busuu: учи английский и другие
Busuu: учи английский и другие
Busuu: учи английский и другие
Учить немецкий и японский язык
Free

Learn new languages through bite-sized lessons and interactive exercises. Connect with native speakers for feedback and practice, and track your progress with personalized study plans and official certificates.

Learn up to 14 languagesConnect with native speakersExpert-designed courses
📚 Education
(99K)
free with in-app purchases
12
Kana - Hiragana and Katakana
Kana - Hiragana and Katakana
Kana - Hiragana and Katakana
Learn Japanese • quiz & draw
Free

Master Japanese Hiragana and Katakana with this app. It offers customizable tables, drawing practice, and various quiz modes including handwriting recognition. Track your learning progress and set study reminders to effectively learn the Japanese alphabets.

Customizable Kana tablesDrawing practiceMultiple quiz modes
📚 Education
(10K)
ad-supported
13
Learn Japanese Kanji: Benkyō
Learn Japanese Kanji: Benkyō
Learn Japanese Kanji: Benkyō
JLPT, Vocab & SRS Flashcards
Free

Master Japanese kanji and vocabulary with AI-powered drills and spaced repetition. Track your progress, practice writing, and review efficiently with customizable quizzes. Works offline for convenient study anytime, anywhere.

AI-powered SRS quizzesHandwriting recognition for kanji practiceOffline access to over 10,000 Kanji
📚 Education
(3.3K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Learn Japanese - Phrasebook
Learn Japanese - Phrasebook
Learn Japanese - Phrasebook
Learn, Speak Japanese Language
Free

Learn to speak and write Japanese effectively with this easy-to-use phrasebook app. It offers essential translated phrases, native speaker audio, and vocabulary to help you communicate with locals and navigate Japan. Start with free content and unlock more for comprehensive learning.

Essential Japanese phrasesNative speaker audioOffline learning
✈️ Travel
(2K)
free with in-app purchases
15
Duolingo: Language Lessons
Duolingo: Language Lessons
Duolingo: Language Lessons
Learn Spanish, Math & more
Free

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.

Bite-sized language lessonsSpeaking, reading, listening, writing practiceMath skills development
📚 Education
(5.3M)
free with in-app purchases
16
Pimsleur | Language Learning
Pimsleur | Language Learning
Pimsleur | Language Learning
Practice Daily. Speak Fluently
Free

Master over 50 languages with daily 30-minute audio lessons. Achieve native-like fluency through a scientifically proven method focused on speaking and pronunciation, even offline. Perfect for busy adults seeking flexible, effective language learning.

Learn 50+ languages30-minute daily lessonsOffline mode
📚 Education
(28K)
free with in-app purchases
17
HelloTalk - Language Learning
HelloTalk - Language Learning
HelloTalk - Language Learning
Practice with native speakers
Free

Practice languages with native speakers through chat, voice, and live events. Connect with locals worldwide to improve fluency and cultural understanding. Features include translation tools, instant captions, and interactive Voicerooms.

Practice with native speakersLive video lessonsInteractive Voicerooms
📚 Education
(43K)
free with in-app purchases
18
Shinobi: Read & Learn Japanese
Shinobi: Read & Learn Japanese
Shinobi: Read & Learn Japanese
Japanese Story Reader
Free

Learn Japanese through engaging, illustrated stories. This app offers immersive reading and listening practice with interactive tools for vocabulary, kanji, and grammar. Track your progress and build fluency with daily new content and SRS flashcards.

Illustrated Japanese storiesOne-click word translation and explanationsFull-page translation view
📚 Education
(813)
free with in-app purchases
19
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
뉴스로 일본어 읽기・JLPT N1-N5 단어 연습
Free

Practice Japanese reading, listening, and speaking with daily news articles tailored to your JLPT level. Features AI conversation practice, pronunciation scoring, and mock tests for exam success.

Daily news articles for N5-N1 levelsAI conversation practice with feedbackAI pronunciation scoring
📚 Education
(1.5K)
free with in-app purchases
20
Memrise Easy Language Learning
Memrise Easy Language Learning
Memrise Easy Language Learning
Apprends comme si tu y vivais
Free

Learn over 40 languages through immersive lessons that simulate real-life conversations and cultural experiences. Practice vocabulary, listening, and speaking with AI-powered bots and native speaker videos to build confidence and speak like a local.

Real-life conversation simulationCultural insightsVocabulary and listening practice
📚 Education
(216K)
free with in-app purchases

FAQ about Japanese Learning Apps

What are the best japanese learning apps for iPhone?
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji tops our japanese learning apps ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 22K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top japanese learning apps we rank are free to download, including Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji and LingoDeer - Learn Languages.
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 241+ japanese learning apps on the iOS App Store as of July 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
This app focuses on teaching the Japanese language, specifically covering Hiragana and Katakana writing. It also includes lessons on vocabulary and grammar, along with audio pronunciation for practice.
It utilizes a 'Show And Quiz' teaching method with spaced repetition review quizzes to reinforce learning. You can easily review previously learned lessons and practice English to Japanese and Japanese to English translations.