Comparison
WaniKani vs Anki vs Duolingo vs Kanzen: which app for kanji?
The honest rundown: what Kanzen does differently from other tools for learning kanji.
Criterion
App language
- Kanzen
- English and French
- WaniKani
- English
- Anki
- Several
- Duolingo
- Follows your phone
Criterion
Number of kanji
- Kanzen
- All 2,135 JLPT kanji (N5 → N1)
- WaniKani
- ~2,000
- Anki
- Depends on the deck
- Duolingo
- A few hundred
Criterion
Vocabulary
- Kanzen
- 25,000+ words tied to your kanji
- WaniKani
- ~6,000 words
- Anki
- Depends on the deck
- Duolingo
- Not published
Criterion
Devices
- Kanzen
- Android (iOS soon)
- WaniKani
- Website (third-party mobile apps)
- Anki
- Desktop + mobile
- Duolingo
- Mobile + web
Criterion
Offline
- Kanzen
- Yes — everything ships in the app
- WaniKani
- Via third-party apps
- Anki
- Yes
- Duolingo
- With subscription
Criterion
How you remember
- Kanzen
- Spaced repetition (FSRS), zero setup
- WaniKani
- Spaced repetition, fixed pace
- Anki
- Spaced repetition, manual setup
- Duolingo
- Method not documented
Criterion
Memory tracking
- Kanzen
- Meaning, reading and vocabulary tracked separately
- WaniKani
- One level per item (meaning and reading graded together)
- Anki
- One level per card, cards you build yourself
- Duolingo
- No per-kanji tracking
Criterion
Memory tricks
- Kanzen
- Created and adopted by the community
- WaniKani
- Provided by the publisher
- Anki
- Write your own
- Duolingo
- None
Criterion
Games and duels
- Kanzen
- Duels and mini-games
- WaniKani
- No
- Anki
- No
- Duolingo
- Yes (incl. leaderboards)
Criterion
Ads
- Kanzen
- None
- WaniKani
- None
- Anki
- None
- Duolingo
- Yes (free version)
Criterion
To get started
- Kanzen
- First level free
- WaniKani
- First 3 levels
- Anki
- Free (paid on iOS)
- Duolingo
- Free with ads
Comparison compiled on 4 September 2026 and reviewed on 14 September 2026, from each publisher’s own published information. Offerings change: check their sites. WaniKani, Anki and Duolingo are trademarks of their respective owners, unaffiliated with Ikigai Studio.
Pricing
Start for free.
The first level is free, with no time limit. Unlock everything else with Kanzen Plus whenever you like.
Free
$0forever
- The whole first level (N5)
- Create & adopt memory tricks
- Core games
- No card needed
Monthly
$6.99/ month
- 7-day free trial
- All 2,135 kanji unlocked
- All games and every league
- No commitment
Most popular
Yearly
$54.99/ year
- 7-day free trial
- About $4.58 / month — that’s −34%
- Everything in monthly
- One payment a year, no monthly billing
Lifetime
$174.99one-time payment
- Launch price, will go up
- All updates for life
- You support an independent French studio
Planned launch pricing, shown in US dollars as a guide: Google Play charges in your own currency, at its local price tier. No commitment, cancellable anytime from your Google Play account. The 7-day free trial (monthly and yearly plans) becomes a paid subscription at the end of the period unless cancelled beforehand. Taxes included where applicable.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Is Kanzen really free?
Yes. The entire N5 level — 80 kanji, already several weeks of learning — is free, with no time limit and no card required: reviews, duels in the first two leagues, nearly every mini-game, and unlimited memory tricks. You only pay if you want to keep going further.
Do I need to already know Japanese?
No, you can start from scratch. Knowing hiragana and katakana (the two basic alphabets) helps in the first few weeks — and if you don’t know them yet, the app has a module for exactly that: the full chart, to read and to trace, with no kanji required.
What is the “JLPT” and the N5–N1 levels?
The JLPT is the official test that measures your Japanese level, from N5 (beginner) to N1 (expert). You don’t need to take it to use Kanzen: the levels simply organize your learning, from easiest to most advanced.
What is “spaced repetition”?
It’s a memorization method: the app shows you each kanji again right before you’d forget it. The better you know it, the less often it asks. You review less and remember more — and there’s nothing to set up, Kanzen works it all out for you.
How is it better than a regular app?
Three things: Kanzen tracks the meaning, reading and vocabulary of each kanji separately (most tools move each item forward as a single block), you learn to understand kanji through their components and a memory trick for every one, and you make progress by playing. All in a clean app, with no ads.
Is it enough to prepare for the JLPT?
For kanji and vocabulary, yes: Kanzen covers all 2,135 JLPT kanji and 25,000+ words, level by level, from N5 to N1. For grammar and listening you’ll want a companion — Kanzen does one thing, thoroughly.
Does it work offline?
Yes. All the kanji data ships inside the app: you can review without a connection, and your progress syncs as soon as the network is back.
Where is my data stored?
In Europe. You can export or delete your account at any time from your profile. See our privacy policy.
Which devices is it available on?
Android (phone and tablet) for now. iOS is coming soon.
Why no desktop version?
Because you remember better in short, regular sessions — on transit, in a queue, in the morning with a coffee. The phone is the ideal tool for that.
Who’s behind Kanzen?
Ikigai Studio, the independent studio of Tom Piguet, a French developer. One person, one product at a time, made with care. Learn more.