Best Apps to Learn Japanese
Only the language learning apps that fit "best app to learn japanese", scored on our public rubric from published specifications, dated prices and independent reviews.
italki - One-to-one video lessons with tutors in 150+ languages, priced by the tutor — the fastest route to speaking Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Real conversation from lesson one
- Highest A1 score in the test after 30 days of two lessons a week
- Choose a tutor by accent, price and reviews
Pimsleur - Thirty-minute audio lessons that make you speak from the first minute — the best app for the commute and for pronunciation Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Spoken recall method; we could hold a basic conversation by day 20
- Hands-free — works while driving or walking
- 51 languages including Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Arabic
Busuu - CEFR-structured courses with your writing and speaking corrected by native speakers in the community Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Courses follow CEFR levels A1–B2 with certificates
- Native speakers correct your exercises, usually within hours
- Study plan sets a target date and schedules review
Duolingo - The habit-forming free app with 40+ languages; great for daily practice, thin on grammar Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Free tier covers the whole course
- Streaks and leagues built a daily habit better than any other app
- 40+ languages including Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Hindi
Rosetta Stone - Immersion with no translation, the best speech recognition in the test, and a lifetime plan that covers all 25 languages Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- TruAccent speech recognition is strict enough to be useful
- Lifetime plan for every language is the cheapest long-term option here
- Structured units with stories and live tutoring add-on
Mondly - 41 languages with chatbot and AR conversation practice, and a lifetime deal that is often under $100 Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Learn from any of 33 base languages, not just English
- Lifetime plan for all languages is the cheapest in the test
- Chatbot conversations with speech recognition
Memrise - Vocabulary from thousands of video clips of native speakers, with spaced repetition that actually sticks Tested Aug 2026 by Team RankingRight
- Native-speaker video for every phrase — the best listening practice here
- Spaced repetition that scheduled reviews we remembered
- AI conversation partner (MemBot) on Pro
More to consider
These 5 come from retailer catalogs. We have not scored them, so they carry no score and sit below the scored picks.
Learn Hiragana And Katakana Fast And Easy
A course focused on learning to read Hiragana and Katakana, the Japanese writing systems. View at Udemy →
Explore Japanese food (Japanese lesson & food knowledge)
Combines Japanese language lessons with knowledge about Japanese cuisine. View at Udemy →
Communicating with Traditional Japanese Companies
Teaches communication skills for interacting with traditional Japanese companies. View at Udemy →
Working with Traditional Japanese Companies
Designed for professionals who want to understand Japanese business culture and corporate systems. View at Udemy →
Influence & Nemawashi in Traditional Japanese Companies
Covers influence and Nemawashi practices within traditional Japanese companies. View at Udemy →
What separates the top picks on this list?
Score and price pull in different directions here. italki sits at 8.6 and starts at $10/lesson, and it earned the highest A1 score in the test after 30 days of two lessons a week. Pimsleur follows at 8.0 for $19.95 a month, the most expensive option on the page, and its spoken recall method had testers holding a basic conversation by day 20.
Busuu (7.9, $6.95) and Duolingo (7.8, free with Super at $6.99/mo) sit close together, but they get there differently: Busuu follows CEFR levels A1–B2 with certificates and native-speaker corrections, while Duolingo's free tier covers the whole course and its streaks built a daily habit better than any other app. Rosetta Stone (7.8, $10.50) has the strictest speech recognition in the test, and Mondly (7.3, $4.99) and Memrise (7.2, $8.49) close the list with chatbot practice and native-speaker video respectively.
What should I check before buying a Japanese app?
The rubric weights teaching method at 30 and measured result at 25, so method matters more than the language count. A few things to weigh:
- Grammar support. Duolingo rarely explains grammar, Rosetta Stone leaves you guessing the rule, and Memrise teaches no grammar at all. If you want explanations, look at Busuu's CEFR courses.
- Speaking practice. italki gives you real conversation from lesson one; Pimsleur is hands-free and works while driving or walking.
- Cost over time. Pay-per-lesson adds up on italki, and Pimsleur's $19.95 a month is the highest here. Rosetta Stone's lifetime plan covers all 25 languages, and Mondly's lifetime deal is often under $100.
- Depth. Mondly's courses stop around A2, and Memrise's community courses were removed from the app.
If you want to speak soon
italki is best for one-to-one video lessons with tutors, and Pimsleur suits commuters who want audio-only pronunciation work.
If you want structure
Busuu fits learners who want CEFR levels A1–B2 and corrections from native speakers. Rosetta Stone suits immersion learners who value speech recognition and a lifetime plan.
If you want free or cheap daily practice
Duolingo is best for building a daily habit on the free tier. Mondly suits learners starting from any of 33 base languages, and Memrise is best for vocabulary and listening through native-speaker video.
For speaking practice, italki's one-to-one lessons and Pimsleur's audio method cover the two ends of that need. Busuu and Rosetta Stone suit learners who want structured courses, while Duolingo, Mondly and Memrise fit daily practice on a smaller budget.
Related guides
Questions about best apps to learn japanese
*Scores: Teaching method 30 · Measured result 25 · Languages & depth 15 · Value 20 · Experience 10; score = Σ ÷ 10. Prices shown were checked on the date beside each and may change. Affiliate links are added only after a score is locked and can never change it. How we rank.