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Best Learning Japanese Apps

239+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.7 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated July 2026

MARU is the household name in learning japanese, but it's far from the only option. We track 239+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Learning Japanese Apps (July 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1MARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaMARU: Learn Japanese HiraganaFree4.9★ (18K)YesYesAug 2026
2Duolingo: Language LessonsDuolingo: Language LessonsFree4.7★ (5.4M)YesYesAug 2026
3renshuu - Japanese learningrenshuu - Japanese learningFree4.9★ (1.3K)NoYesAug 2026
4LingoDeer - Learn LanguagesLingoDeer - Learn LanguagesFree4.7★ (28K)NoYesAug 2026
5Japanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiJapanese!! Learn Kana & KanjiFree4.8★ (22K)NoYesAug 2026
6Bunpo: Language LearningBunpo: Language LearningFree4.9★ (18K)NoYesAug 2026
7Learn Japanese - PhrasebookLearn Japanese - PhrasebookFree4.7★ (2K)NoYesAug 2026
8Teuida: Learn LanguagesTeuida: Learn LanguagesFree4.9★ (56K)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Learning Japanese

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
Duolingo: Language Lessons#2

Duolingo: Language Lessons by Duolingo

Languages, Math, Music & Chess
Strong Contender
📚 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
renshuu - Japanese learning#3

renshuu - Japanese learning by Michael Hominick

Pick up words, kanji, and more
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.9😊(1.3K 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

Room to Improve

  • 🤯 Overwhelming UI for some users
  • 🕰️ Occasional performance issues
  • 🔒 Certain features locked behind paywall

More Learning Japanese apps to explore

4
LingoDeer - Learn Languages
LingoDeer - Learn Languages
LingoDeer - Learn Languages
Learn Japanese,Korean,Spanish
Free

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.

Short, interactive lessonsClear learning pathGrammar tips and notes
📚 Education
(28K)
subscription
5
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji
Japanese!! Learn Kana & Kanji
Hiragana, Katakana & Grammar
Free

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.

Hiragana and Katakana writing lessonsVocabulary and grammar lessonsSpaced repetition review quizzes
📚 Education
(22K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Bunpo: Language Learning
Bunpo: Language Learning
Bunpo: Language Learning
Learn Japanese,Korean,Spanish
Free

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.

Learn 6 languagesMaster grammar with detailed explanationsBuild vocabulary and kanji knowledge
📚 Education
(18K)
free with in-app purchases
7
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
8
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
(56K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Busuu: Language Learning App
Busuu: Language Learning App
Busuu: Language Learning App
Learn Spanish, French, English
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
(100K)
free with in-app purchases
10
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
Kanji Study - Learn Japanese!
Learn via vocab, JLPT N5–N1
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
(7K)
free with in-app purchases
11
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
Todaii: Learn Japanese N5-N1
Read Japanese news daily N5-N1
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
12
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
13
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
(29K)
free with in-app purchases
14
Nihondex: Learn Japanese
Nihondex: Learn Japanese
Nihondex: Learn Japanese
Hiragana, Katakana & Vocab
Free

Master Japanese vocabulary, grammar, and kanji with a structured learning path. Utilizes spaced repetition for efficient memorization and includes interactive games and reading practice. Offers detailed progress tracking and social features to enhance your learning journey.

Spaced repetition system (SRS)Kana gamesConjugation practice
📚 Education
(5)
freemium
15
Innovative Language Learning
Innovative Language Learning
Innovative Language Learning
Speak Spanish, French, German
Free

Learn to speak new languages quickly with short, engaging audio and video lessons created by experienced teachers. Access a vast library of content for over 30 languages and practice conversations from your first session.

Short audio/video lessons (3-15 minutes)Lessons taught by real teachersInstant practice with assessments
📚 Education
(34K)
free with in-app purchases
16
Write It! Japanese
Write It! Japanese
Write It! Japanese
Learn how to write Japanese!
Free

Master Japanese hiragana and katakana handwriting with this app. It uses advanced recognition technology for stroke-by-stroke guidance and timed tests. Learn efficiently with bite-sized lessons and track your progress.

Handwriting recognition technologyBite-sized lessonsStroke-by-stroke guidance
📚 Education
(2.3K)
free with in-app purchases
17
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
(3.4K)
free with in-app purchases
18
Lirer: Learn Japanese
Lirer: Learn Japanese
Lirer: Learn Japanese
kana, Kanji, Vocabulary & jlpt
Free

Master Japanese vocabulary and alphabets from beginner to advanced levels. This app offers native speaker audio, personalized reviews, and comprehensive lessons for all JLPT levels. It includes quizzes and a searchable dictionary to enhance your learning journey.

Learn Japanese words up to JLPT N1Practice Hiragana and KatakanaNative speaker audio files
📚 Education
(638)
freemium
19
Japanese Games: Infinite
Japanese Games: Infinite
Japanese Games: Infinite
Learn vocabulary the fun way!
Free

Master Japanese vocabulary through engaging, space-themed games. This app uses a multi-sensory approach with text, audio, and visuals to aid memorization. It supports all Japanese writing systems and offers offline learning with customizable review challenges.

Hundreds of Japanese vocabulary wordsMulti-sensory learning (audio, text, visual)Supports romaji, hiragana, katakana, kanji
📚 Education
(2.3K)
free with in-app purchases
20
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
(13K)
ad-supported

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FAQ about Learning Japanese

What are the best learning japanese apps for iPhone?
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana tops our learning japanese apps ranking as of July 2026, with a 4.9-star average from 18K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top learning japanese apps we rank are free to download, including MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana and Duolingo: Language Lessons.
MARU: Learn Japanese Hiragana shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of July 2026.
We track 239+ learning japanese apps on the iOS App Store as of July 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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