The 6 Best Apps to Learn Japanese in 2026
Japanese has a problem French and Italian do not: before you study anything you have to learn to read, and there are three writing systems. That makes the app you pick matter more than with any other language, and most people end up combining two. In this guide we compare the 6 best apps to learn Japanese in 2026.
Apps for studying Japanese on your phone
Apps to learn Japanese on your phone: hiragana and katakana, an introduction to kanji, vocabulary with spaced repetition and sentence practice with native audio.
Top pick
Duolingo: Aprende Idiomas
Free (with purchases) · 500M+
Best for getting started
4.7
47.0M reviews
TopApps analysis
Duolingo teaches hiragana and katakana from the first unit and is the gentlest way into Japanese writing without paying anything.
Duolingo is the world's most popular language-learning app, with more than 40 languages and a gamified method that keeps you coming back. Five-minute lessons, streaks, levels and rewards turn studying into a daily game. It is free (with ads) and ideal for starting a language or keeping one alive without much effort.
Pros
- More than 40 languages available
- Gamified method that hooks you and keeps you going
- Short lessons that fit into any day
Cons
- The free version shows ads
- Less focused on real conversation than Babbel
- Duolingo Super (ad-free) is paid
AnkiDroid: Tarjetas de Memoria
AnkiDroid Open Source Team · Free · 10M+
Best for kanji
4.8
164K reviews
TopApps analysis
AnkiDroid is what serious learners use for kanji: spaced repetition, ready-made community decks, no limits and no subscription.
AnkiDroid is the Android version of the most respected spaced repetition system around, used for years by medical and language students. It works out when you're about to forget a card and shows it to you right then. It's free, unlimited, and there are thousands of ready-made decks to download.
Pros
- Spaced repetition, the most effective way to memorise anything
- Free and open source, with no limits
- Thousands of decks already made by the community
Cons
- Dated, unintuitive interface
- Setting decks up properly takes time
- The iPhone version is paid and comes from a different developer
Last updated: 2026-05-04
Drops: Aprende Vocabulario
Drops Languages · Free (with purchases) · 10M+
Best for vocabulary
4.4
317K reviews
TopApps analysis
Drops teaches Japanese vocabulary through illustrations and shows the words in their original script, not only transliterated.
Drops does one thing and does it very well: vocabulary. With illustrations and a drag-the-word game, you memorise terms in five-minute sessions. It won't teach you grammar and it won't get you speaking, but it is the most effective and least boring way to load a thousand words into your head before a trip.
Pros
- Visual method that works remarkably well for vocabulary
- Five-minute sessions, easy to keep up daily
- More than thirty languages, including Japanese and Korean
Cons
- Doesn't teach grammar or sentence building
- The free plan caps you at five minutes a day
- Not enough as your only learning method
Memrise: Idiomas toda la vida
Free (with purchases) · 50M+
Best for listening
4.5
1.6M reviews
TopApps analysis
Memrise includes short clips of real Japanese people speaking at normal speed, the only way to get your ear used to the spoken language.
Memrise stands out for teaching languages through videos of real native speakers, backed by a strong spaced-repetition system for locking in vocabulary. You learn the language as it is actually spoken, with authentic expressions. A good fit for widening your vocabulary and training your ear on real accents.
Pros
- Videos of real native speakers
- Spaced repetition for better recall
- Teaches the language as it's really spoken
Cons
- Full access requires a subscription
- Less structured grammar than Babbel or Busuu
- More focused on vocabulary than on writing
Mondly: Aprende 41 Idiomas
Mondly by Pearson · Free (with purchases) · 50M+
Best for speaking practice
4.5
927K reviews
TopApps analysis
Mondly teaches Japanese from your own language and its speech recognition helps with the rhythm of full sentences.
Mondly covers 41 languages, far more than Babbel or Busuu, and it is one of the few that teaches from your own language instead of routing everything through English. Lessons are short, with speech recognition to correct your pronunciation, plus a chatbot for practising basic conversations.
Pros
- 41 languages, several of them unusual
- Teaches from your own language, not through English
- Speech recognition to fix your pronunciation
Cons
- Without a subscription you only get one lesson a day
- Less grammar depth than Babbel
- Quality varies a lot from language to language
LingoDeer: Aprende Idiomas
Free (with purchases) · 10M+
Best for grammar
4.3
452K reviews
TopApps analysis
LingoDeer is built specifically for Asian languages and explains Japanese grammar in a detail Duolingo does not attempt.
LingoDeer is the app that specialises in Asian languages, and the best choice for learning Japanese, Korean or Chinese from scratch. Its courses are designed by native teachers with proper grammar explanations, something generalist apps skimp on for these languages. It includes character writing, native audio and a structured level-by-level method.
Pros
- Specialised in Japanese, Korean and Chinese
- Detailed grammar explanations
- Courses designed by native teachers
Cons
- Full access requires a subscription
- Less gamified than Duolingo
- Smaller catalogue of languages
Frequently asked questions
Where do I start with Japanese?
With hiragana, always. It is 46 characters, learnable in a week or two, and nothing else moves until you have them. Katakana comes next, for foreign words. Kanji is the multi-year job after that. Duolingo introduces both syllabaries well, and from there it is worth adding AnkiDroid for kanji.
How many kanji do you need to learn?
The Japanese government lists 2136 common-use kanji, taught through the end of high school. With about a thousand you can read most everyday text. It is a job of several years done with spaced repetition: AnkiDroid is the standard tool, with prepared decks that follow the order of the most used textbooks.
Is Duolingo enough to actually learn Japanese?
It is enough to start and to keep the habit, not to get far. Its Japanese course teaches the syllabaries and basic vocabulary well but explains little grammar, and Japanese grammar works nothing like English. The usual approach is Duolingo as the daily base, plus AnkiDroid for kanji and a grammar book.
How long does it take to learn Japanese?
Far longer than a European language. The institutes that train diplomats put Japanese in the hardest group for English speakers, with estimates above two thousand hours for a professional working level. For survival level on a trip, a few months of vocabulary and set phrases is enough.
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