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KanjiKanji Modern vs. WaniKani

Both apps use SRS for kanji learning. They differ on platform, curriculum philosophy, handwriting, and pricing. Here's a verifiable, side-by-side comparison so you can pick the right one for your goals.

  • Platform

    WaniKani has third-party native clients (e.g., Tsurukame) — not first-party.

    WaniKani
    Web; no first-party native iOS app
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Native iOS (iPhone + iPad)

  • Curriculum ordering

    WaniKani's order doesn't map to JLPT directly; learners often pair it with a separate JLPT vocab tool.

    WaniKani
    60 proprietary levels (radicals → kanji → vocab)
    KanjiKanji Modern
    JLPT N5 → N1, frequency-ordered within each level

  • Kanji coverage

    WaniKani
    ~2,000 by Level 60
    KanjiKanji Modern
    2,000+ across JLPT N5–N1

  • SRS

    WaniKani
    Yes — fixed interval ladder
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Yes — adaptive, four-level (Again / Hard / Good / Easy)

  • Handwriting practice

    KanjiKanji uses PencilKit + Google ML Kit Digital Ink; stroke data stays on the phone.

    WaniKani
    No
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Premium — on-device recognition

  • Stroke order animations

    WaniKani
    Static SVG
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Animated (KanjiVG) with playback controls

  • Audio pronunciations

    WaniKani
    Yes
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Premium — native speakers

  • Offline mode

    WaniKani
    Web-based; requires connection
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Yes — full offline study

  • Free tier

    WaniKani
    Levels 1–3 free; full app is paid
    KanjiKanji Modern
    N5 + N4 + unlimited reviews on what you've learned

  • Pricing

    WaniKani prices per their public pricing page; KanjiKanji per the App Store.

    WaniKani
    $9 / mo · $89 / yr · $299 lifetime
    KanjiKanji Modern
    $9.99 / mo · $79.99 / yr · $199.99 lifetime

  • Free trial

    WaniKani
    Free first 3 levels
    KanjiKanji Modern
    1-week (monthly) or 1-month (yearly)

  • Accessibility

    WaniKani
    Standard web a11y
    KanjiKanji Modern
    VoiceOver, Dynamic Type, WCAG AA, Reduce Motion

  • Community / forums

    WaniKani's community is one of its strongest features.

    WaniKani
    Large, active forum
    KanjiKanji Modern
    Not first-party (Reddit / Discord adjacent)

Last verified against public WaniKani pricing and feature documentation on 2026-05-16. If anything is outdated, please let us know.

When to choose which

Choose WaniKani if…

  • You prefer a web-based study environment over a mobile app.
  • You want the deep radical-driven mnemonics and the strong community forum.
  • You're not preparing for a specific JLPT level — you want a comprehensive long arc.
  • You want one large one-time payment ($299 lifetime).

Choose KanjiKanji Modern if…

iOS-first, JLPT-aligned, handwriting included.

  • You're an iPhone user who wants a native app, not a mobile web page.
  • You're preparing for a specific JLPT level (N5 → N1) and want a curriculum that maps to it.
  • You want handwriting practice with on-device stroke recognition.
  • You want a real free tier (not just a 3-level demo) before committing.

What we like about WaniKani

WaniKani's radical-first decomposition system is genuinely good pedagogy, and its community forum is among the best of any language- learning product. If those two things are what you want, WaniKani is worth the investment.

KanjiKanji Modern's handwriting recognition runs on-device. Your stroke data never leaves your phone, which is a different posture from any web-based kanji learning tool.
Source: App Privacy Label

See also: vs. Anki · vs. Kanji Study · What is spaced repetition?

Last updated

Try both. Decide for yourself.

KanjiKanji Modern is free to start. WaniKani lets you finish 3 levels free. The right tool is the one you'll actually open every day.