The best Japanese learning app depends on where you're stuck. Beginners need the kana and a daily habit, intermediate learners need kanji and grammar drills, and everyone needs real listening. Most people do best combining a lesson app, a kanji or grammar trainer and a good dictionary. Ten apps follow in no particular order.
Japanese pulls in learners for all sorts of reasons: anime and games, a dream trip, work, family or the challenge itself. It's also a language with three writing systems, which is why one app rarely covers everything you need.
The ten apps below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from big lesson apps to small tools built by Japanese learners for Japanese learners. Each description comes from the app's own App Store listing or site, re-checked this week. My ChatGPT prompts to learn a language in ten minutes a day make a handy extra study partner.
Japanese learning apps at a glance
In the free plan column, Yes means the app's own store listing or site describes free use or a free download, Trial only means a time-limited trial and No means neither is stated on the pages we read. Many free apps carry ads or sell optional upgrades.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunpro | Grammar trainer | Grammar drills by JLPT level | Yes |
| Duolingo | Gamified lessons | A gentle daily habit | Yes |
| Kanji Study | Kanji trainer | Kanji in real words | Yes |
| LingoDeer | Structured course | Clear structured lessons | Yes |
| Migaku | Immersion tool | Learning from shows and video | Yes |
| Pimsleur | Audio course | Speaking and listening | Yes |
| renshuu | All-round study app | A generous free version | Yes |
| Shirabe Jisho | Dictionary | Looking words up fast | Yes |
| Takoboto | Offline dictionary | Offline lookups | Yes |
| WaniKani | Kanji course | Remembering kanji with mnemonics | Yes |
Ten Japanese learning apps
Bunpro
Best for: Learners who've got the kana down and want daily grammar practice organised by JLPT level with spaced repetition.
Duolingo
Best for: Complete beginners who want short, game-like lessons that make practising a few minutes every day feel easy.
Kanji Study
Best for: Students who'd rather learn kanji through the vocabulary they appear in than memorise characters on their own.
LingoDeer
Best for: Learners who like teacher-written lessons that explain grammar clearly and build from the alphabets upwards.
Migaku
Best for: Anime and drama fans who want to learn from content they already enjoy, turning it into study material.
Pimsleur
Best for: Commuters who want to speak Japanese out loud from day one with half-hour audio sessions.
renshuu
Best for: Self-studiers who want vocabulary, grammar and kanji in one cheerful app with an unlimited free version.
Shirabe Jisho
Best for: Readers who need a powerful dictionary with kanji stroke order, example sentences and names while they read.
Takoboto
Best for: Travellers who want an offline dictionary with example sentences, kanji details and conjugated forms of each word.
WaniKani
Best for: Kanji strugglers who want a structured path with memorable mnemonics and reviews timed for long-term memory.
How the JLPT levels work
The JLPT, the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, has five levels, from N5, the easiest, to N1, the most difficult, with N4 and N5 measuring basic Japanese mainly learned in class.
What that means for you: the levels give your study a clear ladder. Even if you never sit the test, choosing apps that say which level their kanji, vocabulary and grammar belong to helps you see progress and avoid jumping ahead too fast.
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Kana, kanji, grammar or listening?
Kana apps teach hiragana and katakana, the two phonetic scripts you'll need first. Kanji apps use spaced repetition and mnemonics to help thousands of characters stick. Grammar trainers drill sentence patterns level by level. Immersion tools turn shows and videos you enjoy into study material, and dictionaries keep you moving when you meet a new word.
Start with kana and a lesson app, add a kanji trainer once you can read hiragana comfortably, and bring in listening as early as you can.
A realistic study week
- Learn or review kana until you can read them without hesitating.
- Do a short lesson every day to keep the habit alive.
- Clear your kanji or vocabulary reviews before adding new items.
- Study two or three grammar points a week, not twenty.
- Watch something easy in Japanese with Japanese subtitles.
- Look up new words in a dictionary and save the useful ones.
Signs you're ready to move up a level
- You read kana at speed. No more sounding out each character.
- Reviews feel easy. Your kanji and vocabulary reviews rarely trip you up.
- Simple shows make sense. You follow the gist with Japanese subtitles.
- You can ask simple questions. Short phrases come out without notes.
Keeping motivation over the long haul
Japanese is a long journey for English speakers, and motivation dips are normal. The learners who keep going usually tie their study to something they love, whether that's a show, a game, a recipe or a pen pal.
Keep a little list of wins: the first menu you read, the first joke you understood, the first message you sent without a translator. On flat weeks, it's proof you're moving.
And don't be afraid to rest. A short break is better than burning out and quitting; your reviews will still be there when you're back.
Do you make a Japanese learning app? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a Japanese learning app
Don't try to use every app at once. Pick one lesson app, one kanji or grammar trainer and a dictionary, and give them three months; consistency beats the perfect setup every time.
If you're learning for work or travel, make listening and speaking part of the plan from the start. My piece on how a new language can boost your career is a good reminder of why it's worth the effort.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best app to learn Japanese?
A mix works best: a lesson app for structure, a kanji or grammar trainer and a dictionary for reading.
Can I learn Japanese for free?
You can make a strong start. Several apps here are free downloads, and some describe generous free versions.
What are the JLPT levels?
The JLPT has five levels, from N5, the easiest, to N1, the most difficult.
Should I learn kana before kanji?
Yes. Learn hiragana and katakana first, then add kanji once you can read kana comfortably.
How do I remember kanji?
Spaced repetition and mnemonics help, and so does learning kanji inside real words.
Is an offline Japanese dictionary useful?
Yes, especially when travelling. Some dictionaries here work offline with example sentences.
