Best App to Learn Japanese (2026): 9 Compared
Last verified: September 20, 2026. Prices and features come from each app’s official pages and knowledge bases and from the US App Store listings. They change often, so confirm the price for your country at checkout.
The best app to learn Japanese depends on which part of the language you are learning. Duolingo is the best free start, and its Japanese course now runs through CEFR level B2. LingoDeer is a paid, grammar-based course with free starter units. WaniKani is built for kanji, Bunpro for grammar practice, Satori Reader for graded reading, Pimsleur for learning by ear, and tutors on italki or Preply for speaking. Most learners combine two or three of these rather than relying on one.
Quick picks by goal
| Your goal | Best pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Start for free | Duolingo | A free tier, and the Japanese course now runs through B2 |
| A structured paid course | LingoDeer | A grammar-based curriculum, with the alphabet and first unit free |
| Learn kanji | WaniKani | 2,000+ kanji and 6,000+ words through radicals, mnemonics and spaced repetition |
| Practice grammar | Bunpro | 900+ grammar points and 10,000+ example sentences, with a free plan |
| Read graded Japanese | Satori Reader | 1,650+ graded episodes with furigana and grammar notes |
| Learn by ear | Pimsleur | Audio-first lessons at about $20 a month |
| Speak with a person | italki or Preply | One-to-one lessons with Japanese tutors |
| A free all-rounder | renshuu | A free tier covering kana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar and listening |
The 9 apps at a glance
| App | Best for | US price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duolingo | A free start | Free; Super about $96 to $120/year | Reading, writing, listening and speaking; kana chart; gradual kanji |
| LingoDeer | Structured grammar | $14.99/month; $95.99/year | Grammar-based lessons; free alphabet and first unit |
| WaniKani | Kanji | $9/month; $89/year; $299 lifetime | Kanji and vocabulary with spaced repetition |
| Bunpro | Grammar practice | Free; Premium $5/month | Grammar points and example sentences |
| Satori Reader | Reading | Free episodes; Pro $9/month or $89/year | Graded reading with furigana |
| renshuu | A free all-rounder | Free tier; paid from about $4/month | Kana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, listening |
| Pimsleur | Audio learning | About $20/month | Audio conversation lessons |
| Busuu | Community feedback | Free tier; App Store paid plans | A1 to B2 course, separate kana and kanji courses |
| Rocket Japanese | Level-based courses | From $149.95 for Level 1 | Speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture |
Duolingo: best free start
- US price: free with ads and an Energy limit; Super about $13 to $17/month or $96 to $120/year
- Level: Japanese is one of nine courses that Duolingo says now teach through B2 (April 2026)
- Speaking practice: speaking exercises and a free Practice Hub; AI Video Call in Japanese with Max
Duolingo’s blog describes a kana chart in the mobile apps and a gradual introduction of kanji, and its course page cites reading, writing, listening and speaking. It is the easiest place to start without paying. Because Japanese has two kana syllabaries and a large set of kanji, many learners add a dedicated kanji or grammar tool once the basics are in place. See Does Duolingo Work? for the evidence on how far it goes.
LingoDeer: best structured paid course
- US price: $14.99 monthly, $39.99 quarterly, $95.99 annually (marked down from $159.99); 3-year ($189.99) and 6-year ($239.99) one-time plans on its pricing page
- Free: the alphabet, Unit One, review, test-outs and a travel phrasebook; offline mode and sync are paid
- Guarantee: 7 days on certain plans
- US App Store rating: 4.7 from 28,000 ratings
LingoDeer has a grammar-based curriculum and a useful free starter section, so you can judge it before paying. The App Store lists lifetime options between $119.99 and $499.99 that do not appear on its official pricing page, so check which plans are actually available.
WaniKani: best for kanji
- US price: $9 a month, $89 a year or $299 for lifetime, per its knowledge base
- Covers: 2,000+ kanji and 6,000+ vocabulary words
- Free: some early levels are free, though which ones is not stated on the pages we checked
- Platform: web; we did not find an official mobile app
WaniKani teaches kanji and vocabulary using radicals, mnemonics and spaced repetition. Japan’s official list of general-use kanji runs to roughly two thousand characters, so its course covers the range most learners need to read everyday text. It teaches kanji and vocabulary, not grammar or speaking.
Bunpro: best for grammar practice
- US price: free; Premium $5 a month or Lifetime $150 on its pricing page; the US App Store lists $6.49 a month, $64.99 a year and $194.99 lifetime
- Covers: 900+ grammar points, 10,000+ example sentences and 120+ reading passages
- Free trial: 30 days with no card, per its pricing page
- US App Store rating: 4.9 from about 600 ratings
Bunpro drills grammar with spaced repetition, so it complements a course rather than replacing one. Do not confuse it with Bunpo, a separate app with a similar name.
Satori Reader: best for reading
- US price: free for selected episodes; Pro $9 a month or $89 a year, which includes Human Japanese Universal
- Covers: 1,650+ graded episodes with furigana, grammar notes and spaced repetition
- US App Store rating: 4.8 from about 200 ratings
Satori Reader is for learners who already know the basics and want to read real stories with support. It is a reading tool, so pair it with a course and a speaking option.
renshuu: best free all-rounder
- US price: a free tier; the US App Store lists paid options from about $4 a month or $50 a year, with lifetime options around $110 to $130
- Covers: kana, kanji, vocabulary, grammar, sentences and listening
- Platforms: web, iOS and Android
- US App Store rating: 4.9 from about 1,400 ratings
renshuu is a web-and-mobile study tool with a free tier and a wide range of practice types. Its official US prices were not visible on the pages we could read, so treat the App Store figures as approximate.
Pimsleur: best for learning by ear
- US price: about $20 a month; the US App Store lists Japanese Premium at $19.99
- Free: a 7-day trial for new customers and a free lesson
- US App Store rating: 4.7 from about 30,000 ratings
Pimsleur is an audio-first course of roughly 30-minute lessons. It is a good fit for building listening and speaking on a commute, and less so for learning to read kana and kanji. See our Pimsleur review, including the refund catch.
Busuu: best for community feedback
- Course: Complete Japanese covers A1 to B2 with 570+ lessons; Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji are separate courses
- US price: a free tier, and App Store paid plans from about $70 to $140 a year
- US App Store rating: 4.7 from about 101,000 ratings
Busuu offers a full Japanese course plus the separate script courses. Its speaking and AI tools are in the more expensive tier.
Rocket Japanese: best for level-based courses
- US price: Level 1 $149.95, Levels 1 and 2 $299.90, Levels 1 to 3 $449.85, with a six-month payment plan
- Guarantee and trial: a 60-day money-back guarantee and a free trial with no card
- Covers: speaking, listening, reading, writing and culture, on web, iOS and Android
Rocket Japanese is priced per level rather than as a monthly subscription, with a six-month payment plan. It is the most expensive option here.
More options: Rosetta Stone, Lingopie and tutors
- Rosetta Stone: its Japanese page lists hiragana, katakana, grammar and voice recognition, at $19.99 a month or $159 a year. See our Rosetta Stone review.
- Lingopie: Japanese is one of its languages, with dual subtitles for shows and films. See our Lingopie review.
- Tutors: italki’s Japanese page lists more than 1,200 tutors, with typical hourly prices of about $15 to $60, and Preply lists more than 5,000 Japanese tutors, from $4 an hour with an average of about $19. See our Preply review.
How to combine apps for Japanese
- Free stack: Duolingo for daily lessons, renshuu or Bunpro’s free plan for practice, and the free episodes on Satori Reader for reading.
- Paid stack: LingoDeer or Busuu for structure, WaniKani for kanji, Bunpro for grammar and a weekly tutor for speaking.
- By ear: Pimsleur for listening and speaking, plus a kana and kanji tool for reading.
How long does Japanese take?
Longer than most languages English speakers study. The US Foreign Service Institute places Japanese in its hardest category, with an estimated 88 weeks, or about 2,200 class hours, for its students to reach level 3 on the government’s ILR proficiency scale, against 24 to 30 weeks for Spanish, French and Italian. FSI students also do about 17 hours of self-study a week. Duolingo’s B2 course is a large curriculum, but reaching that level in Japanese is a multi-year project for most learners. Pair any app with real reading and listening, and speaking with a person.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best app to learn Japanese?
There is no single best app. Duolingo is the best free start, LingoDeer is a strong paid structured course, WaniKani is best for kanji, Bunpro for grammar and Satori Reader for reading. Most learners combine two or three, plus a tutor for speaking.
What is the best free app to learn Japanese?
Duolingo is the best free start, and its Japanese course now runs through B2. renshuu has a free tier across kana, kanji and grammar, Bunpro has a free plan, and Satori Reader has free episodes. LingoDeer also offers free starter units.
What is the best app to learn Japanese for beginners?
Duolingo or LingoDeer suit beginners: Duolingo is free with a kana chart and gradual kanji, while LingoDeer has a grammar-based curriculum and a free alphabet and first unit. Add a kanji tool such as WaniKani once you know the basics.
Can you learn Japanese with Duolingo?
You can get a long way. Duolingo says its Japanese course now teaches through B2, and it includes reading, writing, listening and speaking. Most learners add a kanji or grammar tool and speaking practice with a tutor, because a single app rarely covers everything.
Which app is best for kanji?
WaniKani, which teaches 2,000+ kanji and 6,000+ vocabulary words using radicals, mnemonics and spaced repetition, from $9 a month. Renshuu also covers kanji on a free tier, and Busuu has a separate kanji course.
How long does it take to learn Japanese?
The US Foreign Service Institute estimates about 88 weeks, or roughly 2,200 class hours, for its students to reach level 3 on the ILR proficiency scale, compared with 24 to 30 weeks for Spanish, French or Italian. Self-study with apps typically takes longer, and results depend on daily practice.
Is LingoDeer better than Duolingo for Japanese?
They differ. LingoDeer is a paid, grammar-based course, from $14.99 a month or $95.99 a year, with free starter units. Duolingo is free and now runs through B2. Try LingoDeer’s free units and Duolingo side by side to see which teaching style suits you.
Do I need a tutor to learn Japanese?
Apps cover vocabulary, kana, kanji and grammar well, but speaking needs practice with a person. A tutor on italki or Preply, or an AI speaking option, fills that gap. Even a few lessons help you check pronunciation and produce sentences aloud.
Sources and how this was researched
This guide compares information published by each app and by app stores as of September 20, 2026. It does not claim first-hand testing of every app. Main sources:
- Duolingo: courses now teach advanced content and learning to read Japanese characters
- LingoDeer: pricing and its free-content help article
- WaniKani: Premium membership; Bunpro: pricing; Satori Reader: pricing; renshuu: renshuu.org
- Busuu: Japanese course; Rocket Japanese: pricing; Pimsleur: cost breakdown
- Tutors: italki’s Japanese page and Preply’s Japanese page
- US App Store listings for each app, and the US Foreign Service Institute