The Best Japanese Lessons

Tuesday, September 17th

2024 Japanese Lesson Reviews

Rosetta Stone

• Priced $47 per quarter, $126 per year, or $199 one-time
• Immersion-based approach
• 3-day free trial
• TruAccent feature for perfecting your pronunciation
• App and desktop access
• Can use both offline and online
• Seek & Speak tool (iOS and Android)
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• 4.8-star average
• "A+” rating from the BBB

As a reliable self-guided language learning program, Rosetta Stone is considered a top pick in the industry. Trusted by over 12,000 corporations, 9,000 organizations, and 22,000 educational institutions worldwide, it has an impressive user base and track record.

Affordable online model

Originally distributed via CD-ROMs at high prices, Rosetta Stone has transitioned to a more affordable online model, granting access to its extensive content and new features through budget-friendly subscriptions. The company's dedication to language is evident in its efforts to preserve endangered languages and collaborate with indigenous communities globally.

3-day free trial for all languages

Rosetta Stone's Japanese program (as with all their language programs) offers a 3-day trial period, allowing you to explore its features without a long-term commitment. You can initiate the trial by simply providing your email address. During the trial, you're prompted to specify your proficiency level and reasons for learning Japanese, such as for family or travel purposes. Subsequently, you gain access to three beginner lessons designed to be completed over the week. These lessons primarily focus on vocabulary and the basics of Japanese language concepts. For instance, we were introduced to essential words like man, woman, girl, and boy, followed by simple phrases describing their actions. The lessons incorporate photos alongside the vocabulary, helping you with comprehension through visual aids and audio cues. You can change which writing system is displayed with the photos, and the options include hiragana and katakana, kanji/Furigana, just kanji, and the Latin alphabet (English).

Learn vocab from real objects around you

Rosetta Stone stands out as an outstanding language-learning platform with unique and valuable attributes. With its TruVoice software, the Rosetta Stone incorporates speech recognition technology to help improve your Japanese pronunciation skills as you progress through lessons. Rosetta Stone also creates an immersive learning environment that mirrors the natural process of language acquisition, providing contextual exposure to Japanese words and phrases. The Rosetta Stone mobile app also features a See & Speak tool, available on both iOS and Android devices, which transforms language learning into an interactive experience resembling a vocabulary scavenger hunt based on real-life surroundings.

Three ways to pay

There are three ways to pay for Rosetta Stone's Japanese lessons. You can select a 3-month subscription, which costs $47.97 per quarter, providing access to Japanese lessons for that duration. The 12-month subscription is priced at $126 for the entire year, offering access to just Japanese lessons. Alternatively, there's a lifetime subscription available for a one-time payment of $199, granting perpetual access to all 25 languages offered by Rosetta Stone. This is a promotional price, however, so keep an eye out for it as the regular price is $399 for the full license.

You can progress as fast as you want

Rosetta Stone is made for you to decide how you want to increase your language proficiency and reach individual objectives. For instance, if you're a beginner who wants to complete Japanese Basics (one of the recommended learning objectives), the program suggests dedicating 30 minutes to daily study, five days a week, over a six-week period. Each week introduces new topics to keep your learning experience dynamic and engaging. If you prefer a more structured approach, Rosetta Stone can help you devise a personalized plan to make sure you progress in Japanese as fast as you want. The entire process is at your own pace.

30-day money-back guarantee

Rosetta Stone offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. This is a no-questions-asked policy, so if you find that this teaching method doesn't fit with your learning style, you can ask for a refund, and it will be granted no matter the reason.

Popular with students across the board

Rosetta Stone has an outstanding reputation, distinguishing itself as one of the few companies in our assessment with accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and holds an "A+” rating too. Students' feedback on the iOS and Android apps is overwhelmingly positive, with Rosetta Stone achieving an average rating of 4.8 stars on the Apple store and 4.7 out of 5 on the Google Play store. Language blogs and experts rate the Japanese program 4.4 stars out of 5, and in reviews, students particularly appreciate the speaking exercises in the lessons, with pronunciation and reading practice being some of the most helpful parts of the program.

Top pick for complete language experience

Rosetta Stone emerges as a top choice for those seeking effective learning techniques. Its immersive method fosters a feeling of achievement, mirroring the natural language acquisition process. The Rosetta Stone methodologies cover all language facets such as speaking, reading, writing, and grammar. While it's on par with our second-place pick in most respects, the customer feedback for Rosetta Stone makes it stand out as our top pick in this review, earning a 5-star rating for Japanese lessons.

Rocket Languages

• Pricing at $149.95 to $282 for lifetime access
• Japanese levels 1, 2, and 3
• Listening and interactive activities
• Focus on hiragana, katakana, and kanji
• Guest account for free trial
• 60-day money-back guarantee
• Can use both online and in the car
• Mobile apps for Android and iOS
• 4.7-star average user rating

Rocket Languages was established back in 2004 by Jason Oxenham and Mark Ling. With over 2 million students, the program is highly beneficial for beginners venturing into Japanese learning. On Rocket Languages, you'll find audio and cultural lessons, with the content providing specific emphasis on pronunciation practice and interactive flashcards. Rocket Languages is designed to guide students toward fluency.

Trial multiple lesson types

To begin your study on Rocket Languages, you have the option to start with a guest account, which doesn't require any sign-up process. From there, you can explore various lesson types, including audio, language and culture, writing, and "survival kit" lessons. Each lesson is accompanied by icons indicating the included activities, such as flashcards, listening exercises, speaking exercises, and quizzes. The site design allows for easy navigation by level and module. While some lessons may be locked until you reach a certain proficiency level in Japanese, the layout remains clear and organized, and you can follow a lesson plan easily. Each lesson offers the used vocabulary listed beneath the lesson content for further study, and lessons feature cultural music, and gamified elements like scores and badges to keep you engaged in your Japanese study.

Tons of activities to guide you through Japanese

Many lessons on Rocket focus on audio and interactive exercises to help you learn Japanese. For example, in one lesson, Rocket Languages offers an introduction to Japanese writing systems. The lesson goes over the characters in hiragana, katakana, and kanji in detail as well as offering interactive portions where you're asked to draw some of the characters. Each lesson is around 25 minutes with a mix of listening, speaking, drawing, and other interactive activities. Many lessons also come with an average of 20-50 flashcards and a similar number of speaking and listening practices.

Pay once and get 1-3 levels of Japanese

The pricing here is a little different than other companies in our review. Rocket Languages offers a one-time purchase that has three different pricing tiers depending on how many levels of Japanese you want to complete. For just level 1, the price is $99.95. If you want levels 1 and 2, you'll need to pay $249.90. Finally, if you want all three levels, the price is $259.90. If you don't want to pay for it upfront, you can choose a 6-month payment plan instead, though you'll end up paying more in the long run this way. Rocket Languages splits the cost of $282 over 6 months in payments of $47 per month.

Progress to advanced Japanese

In Japanese levels 1, 2, and 3, you'll progress from the beginning basics of Japanese to advanced study. With over 400 hours of lesson time, you'll be able to cover nearly everything you need to be ready to travel to Japan when you're finished. The goal of Rocket Languages is conversational Japanese, so you'll ideally be able to have real conversations that sound modern.

60-day refunds for any reason

Rocket Languages offers an impressive refund policy. You will get a 60-day window for testing out the Japanese lessons on Rocket Languages before you need to fully commit. This period extends beyond the trial available on a "guest" account. If during the 60 days you decide that Rocket Languages isn't for you, you'll get a full refund (no questions asked).

Students are impressed with Japanese lessons

The reviews for the Rocket Languages Japanese program are pretty impressive. On average, students who reviewed the Japanese program left 4.7-star ratings out of 5. The ratings are similar on the mobile apps with another 4.7-star average on the Google Play store and a competitive 4.4-star rating on the Apple store (though these are for the app as a whole rather than just Japanese). Students praise the way that Rocket Languages moves step by step through Japanese and multiple reviews spotlight the quality of the audio lessons. Some students claim to have made faster progress here than with any other method of learning Japanese.

Japanese from beginner to advanced

Considering the overwhelmingly positive reviews for the Japanese lessons on Rocket Languages, we're highly impressed with what the company has to offer. With lessons that range from beginner to advanced level, Rocket Languages stands out as one of the most comprehensive learning systems for Japanese. For this reason, it gets a strong rating and a high recommendation.

Pimsleur

• Pricing from $14.95 to $20.95 per month or $134.95 to $164.95 per year
• Listening approach
• 7-day free trial
• 30-day money-back guarantee
• Conversational Japanese lessons
• Can use both online and in the car
• Mobile apps for Android and iOS
• 4.5-star average user rating

Benefiting from nearly fifty years of expertise, the Pimsleur Method, devised by Dr. Pimsleur, stands at the forefront of self-directed language learning. Originating with Modern Greek, Pimsleur has broadened its scope to include more than 50 languages including Japanese. Renowned for its emphasis on auditory learning, the program has transitioned from cassette tapes and CDs to an online subscription format, making its content easily accessible to modern students.

1 free lesson in every language

Starting your Japanese lesson journey with Pimsleur is simple. Make sure you're on the Pimsleur home page, and then click on "free lesson” to access a complimentary trial of the Pimsleur Japanese program. However, you'll need to provide your personal details or log in via social media before accessing any content on Pimsleur. Once you're on the site, you can easily preview the first lesson in any chosen language. If you previously used Pimsleur for another language, don't worry. You can still try a single free lesson in Japanese at no charge.

Audio-focused learning program

Based on our research into the free trial, Pimsleur's lesson structure is divided into different skills and activities. The main part of the course involves listening to an audio lesson, followed by supplementary activities on the same page. Each audio lesson lasts approximately 30 minutes and focuses on conversational Japanese. An English speaker will guide you through the conversation so that you're not just listening to information in a foreign language. In the preview lessons, there was no video content and the visuals were limited to text or static pictures. However, if you upgrade to Premium, there is a "picture this" exercise available to visualize some of your learning. Nevertheless, students who studied Japanese with Pimsleur were troubled that the visual aids weren't part of the main methodology.

Perfect for busy students and auditory learners

Pimsleur stands out by allowing up to four students in one household to access a subscription on unlimited devices. So, if you want to learn as a family, everyone can access one Pimsleur account. Pimsleur also offers a Driving Mode so you can practice your Japanese while you're commuting to work. Since the lessons are mainly audio-based, it's convenient for students with busy schedules. Although Pimsleur lacks a gamified approach, it's a solid option for auditory learners.

Priced monthly and annually

Pimsleur allows you to choose between monthly and annual payment plans. The plans are split between three categories: audio-only plans, Premium (which includes visual tools), and All Access plans that offer you access to all languages available on Pimsleur. Here's what the prices shake out to:

• Audio-only
• Monthly: $14.95
• Annual: $134.95
• Premium
• Monthly: $19.95
• Annual: $149.95
• All Access
• Monthly: $20.95
• Annual: $164.95

30-day money-back guarantee

Pimsleur showcases its confidence in its teaching method by offering you a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you purchase directly from Pimsleur, you can cancel your membership within 30 days if you feel that the lesson materials or teaching approach doesn't suit your learning style. However, subscriptions with a 7-day free trial might have different refund policies, so you may want to verify the specifics before you sign up for the free trial.

Praise for quality and progression

Overall, Pimsleur maintains a strong reputation. According to language learning blogs and review sites focused on the Japanese language, Pimsleur consistently earns an average rating of around 4.4 stars. The Pimsleur mobile app also reflects a similar rating average on the Google Play store and even higher ratings of 4.7 out of 5 from the Apple Store. Students generally appreciate the effectiveness of the audio lessons, and although some have raised concerns about the voice reader being not "natural sounding”, the majority of reviews talk about how much progress individual students are making with this program.

Top contender for auditory learners

Pimsleur stands out as a reliable choice for students who thrive best in an auditory-focused learning environment. Pimsleur's Japanese program is mobile-friendly, and the audio lessons are perfect for busy learners who need to study on the move. Although Pimsleur may not offer as many advanced features as some other platforms, language experts and bloggers praise its effectiveness. Consequently, it earns a very high rating, standing out as one of the top services for Japanese students who prefer audio learning to direct grammar instruction or gamified exercises.

Busuu

• Plans from free to $14 per month
• Listening and visual approach
• 14-day money-back guarantee
• 7-day free trial for premium
• Free membership includes regular lessons in order
• Covers hiragana and katakana
• Lessons at your own pace offered on Premium
• App on Android and iOS
• 4.7 star average rating

At IE Business School in Spain, the co-founders Bernhard Niesner and Adrian Hilti weren't happy with the traditional and expensive ways people learned languages. They came up with Busuu as their final project for school - a new way to learn languages online that was affordable and included talking with native speakers. They launched it in 2008 after they finished school. Busuu uses the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a well-known way of designing language lessons. Across its language courses, Busuu uses all writing systems in Japanese in detail.

Lessons are locked behind sign-up

You can start learning for free by clicking the "get started” button. You'll be asked to sign up with your email or your social media account. However, finding example lessons or videos is difficult if you don't want to sign up right away. If you do decide to make an account, you'll be asked why you want to learn Japanese, how often you want to plan to study, and how much Japanese you already know.

Quick trial lesson

From there, you're launched (Literally! You get a little rocket animation to kick off the course.) into a trial lesson right away. The trial lesson consists of short video clips with Japanese speakers saying vocabulary words with both English and Kanji spellings. Then, you're asked a quick question about the vocabulary you just heard/read. You're also asked to break down words into different parts to better understand the phonetics of longer or more complicated words. At the end, you can choose to recap the lesson or continue on afterward.

Designed to quiz you based on your needs

On Busuu, you'll find a variety of tools and a combination of audio and visual lessons. Its smart vocabulary and grammar review tool are created to help you recognize the words you've learned and pinpoint areas where you might need more help. Busuu customizes quizzes to help you remember words better over time, focusing on the areas where you need the most help. You can also use Busuu's Study Plan to keep yourself organized and boost your chances of reaching your language learning goals.

Three membership lengths to choose from

Although a lot of the program is free, you also have the option to upgrade to a premium membership, which unlocks advanced features such as specialized courses, more grammar review, and the ability to access lessons in any order. Busuu offers three membership plans to choose from. The 12-month plan costs $168 for the whole year. The 6-month plan is priced at $84 billed every six months, with a monthly rate of $8.45. Alternatively, you can opt for the month-to-month plan, which costs $14 per month.

Focuses on vocab acquisition

The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is the foundation for Busuu's language courses, including Japanese. In general, the CEFR method is divided into six stages from beginner to full fluency. Busuu approaches language learning by focusing on building your vocabulary. Instead of overwhelming you with too much at once, it teaches Japanese one word at a time. Each word is matched with a picture to help you remember it visually. Unfortunately for some American students, Busuu's course uses British English instead of American English, which might cause complications when words like "till” are used instead of "cash register” or "trolley” instead of "shopping cart.” On the bright side, Busuu teaches both Hiragana and Katakana, so you can be sure you're getting both main forms of the Japanese writing system.

Free trial with 14-day money-back guarantee

On its Premium Membership page, Busuu offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for testing out the Premium content. This is on top of the 7-day free trial offered when you first sign up for a Premium membership. This gives you a full 3-week period to try out the content. If you're unsatisfied with the program within this timeframe, you can receive a refund. You can also choose to learn for free without committing to the Premium membership at all.

Well-rated by students

Busuu has a solid reputation, particularly considering it was developed by two business students. Third-party review sites like Trustpilot give it an average rating of 4.5 stars. Its mobile app performs even better, with a 4.7-star average rating on both the Apple Store and the Google Play Store. Students have left reviews that praise Busuu's user-friendly interface and straightforward lessons, which offer achievable learning objectives and skills, even for challenging languages like Japanese that have multiple writing systems to tackle.

A solid option with great vocab work

Busuu is recognized as an exceptional language-learning platform. Reviews express gratitude that the app offers lessons covering all Japanese writing systems. However, a notable downside is the lack of transparency before sign-up. We'd love Busuu to have more sample lessons or training videos readily available on the website, so you don't need to create an account before you try the program. Despite this, Busuu's affordability and quality lessons warrant a solid rating.

Japanese Pod 101

• Pricing from free to $23 per month
• Podcast-style learning
• 7-day free trial of paid features
• Free membership includes regularly updated lessons
• Beginner-focused materials
• Teacher feedback offered on Premium plan
• Podcasts for iOS
• 60-day money-back guarantee
• 4.4-star average rating

Innovative Language Learning is a platform with 40 language courses, primarily known as "Pod 101”. Starting in 2005, the platform includes "Pod 101” lessons for every language on its roster, including Japanese.

Native speakers

With Japanese Pod 101, the company provides lessons that feature native speakers, so you can get used to listening to different voices, tones, and speech styles. The Japanese Pod 101 library includes primarily audio lessons designed for beginners learning their first Japanese words and for more advanced students too. One of the best parts of these lessons is that Japanese Pod 101 consistently updates its content each week, so you can stay up to date with the most modern learning methods.

No reviews for the content on the website

For those diving into Japanese Pod 101 for the first time, the complete absence of previews on the website is a major letdown. Through our research, we found that previews or informational videos are housed on external platforms such as Facebook. Since Japanese Pod 101 doesn't guide you to these external platforms, you may be left to conduct your own research before committing to sign up (or risk signing up without any information about the lessons).

Podcast-style learning

Once you do your outside research, you'll find that on Japanese Pod 101, the lessons are presented in podcast episodes. The sessions are structured in a format that's similar to textbook lessons, featuring scripted dialogues, vocabulary, grammar points, and more, rather than solely informal chatting. However, it's not an all-encompassing study solution as implied by its marketing; instead, it works best as an audio supplement to an existing study plan. We found in our research that topics are not consistently cumulative but are often repeated across episodes or playlists. Lessons typically span 15-20 minutes and maintain a consistent format.

Learn for free or subscribe for up to $23 per month

There are four memberships to choose from, ranging from free to Premium Plus. The free membership includes a 7-day trial of premium features, access to the Survival Phrases Course, 3-5 new audio and video lessons weekly, and a trial of the first three lessons in every pathway. You can stick with the free membership indefinitely; the trial simply offers a bonus 7-day access to premium features. If you do want to upgrade, there are three pricing options:

• The Basic plan: $4 monthly. This plan grants access to all lessons and detailed notes.
• The Premium plan: $6 monthly, This plan offers the same as the basic plan but also includes features like multiple-choice assessments, line-by-line audio dialogue, premium lesson tracks, a personal word bank, and spaced repetition flashcards.
• Premium PLUS: $13.73 monthly. This plan includes all Premium features, as well as one-on-one sessions with a Japanese teacher, hand-graded assessments, writing and pronunciation practice, and personalized assessments.

The prices for Premium and Premium PLUS are promotional; the regular rates are $10 per month for Premium and $23 per month for Premium PLUS.

Repeat lessons and a clunky interface

The learning process on Japanese Pod 101 is simple, but it lacks fun features such as games or leaderboards to monitor progress. You can explore different "paths" on the platform, organized by topics rather than difficulty levels. However, the navigation isn't very user-friendly overall. Despite providing a good variety of lesson levels, there are overlapping lessons where you can get the same content more than once, which may frustrate students looking for continuous learning and progress toward fluency. Overall, it may take time to get used to how the site and app operate.

60-day refunds

Japanese Pod 101 provides a 60-day money-back guarantee for your subscription. This enables you to try out the program's advanced features, including teacher feedback, for up to 60 days to determine if this learning approach suits you. This is a refund policy that Innovative Language Learning offers for all of their language programs, so if you're using another "Pod 101” language, you can rest assured you'll get the same 60-day policy with Japanese too.

Reviews show that this is a great beginner program

Based on feedback from students on Apple, where you can access the audio podcasts for Japanese Pod 101, students rated the company an average of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Reviews highlighted the podcasts as informative and an "ideal place” to start if you're an absolute beginner. On third-party review sites like Trustpilot, Japanese Pod 101 has an average rating of 3.7 out of 5. The slightly lower score here is because students needed supplemental materials to really succeed in Japanese language lessons.

Free lessons great for beginners

Japanese Pod 101 is a dependable choice for individuals seeking an authentic, up-to-date Japanese learning experience through mainly podcast-style exercises. While it may lack certain features found on other platforms, its emphasis on contemporary language usage greatly benefits Japanese learners. However, some students have voiced concerns about the user interface, citing difficulties in navigation on both the site and the app. With further concerns that this program is better for beginners rather than achieving full fluency, it falls lower than some competitors. Nonetheless, with an impressive free trial and refund policy, Japanese Pod 101 stands out as a solid free learning option. For this reason, it earns a competitive rating in our review.

italki

• Pricing from $10 to $40 per hour
• Trial lesson usually available at half-price
• Tutoring and video-call lessons
• Highly qualified tutors and teachers
• 30- to 90-minute sessions
• Synchronous meetings
• 4.8-star average rating

italki is an affordable platform for linking up with language tutors. Instead of providing its own pre-made lesson content, italki is a marketplace where you can discover a tutor to guide you in your Japanese learning process. Particularly helpful because you talk with an educator who is fluent and often from Japan, you have the freedom to choose a tutor who matches your learning preferences and schedule. Each tutor sets their own rates and times, so you can find your perfect fit without breaking the bank.

Browse tutors and pick your best match

To get started, you can select either an "instant" lesson or schedule one within the next 72 hours. These selections will narrow the list of available teachers and tutors ready to help you practice Japanese. To get a glimpse of what you can expect to learn, you have the option to watch a preview video from each tutor. For instance, one of the top recommendations we received mentioned being a professional teacher in Japan. She has a step-by-step teaching plan and notes that the students who succeed best with her tutoring lessons are those who are willing to study and complete work outside of sessions. She also states that she likes to discuss social issues, business and finance, nature, and music during sessions to make sure that your learning is developing a conversational style that's relevant to the current times. However, the videos typically don't depict exercises or interactions with students, as those aspects of sessions are tailored by the tutor during the time you meet with one another.

Tutoring rather than full courses

italki sessions are conducted exclusively through video conferencing tools like Skype or Facetime. So, you'll need to make time to meet with your tutor each week. It's a synchronous process, so there is a little less flexibility than with other programs. italki also doesn't directly provide educational services; rather, it acts as a platform that connects learners with proficient language tutors. Ideally, italki complements your existing Japanese learning resources and courses.

Price range is different with each tutor

At italki, the cost of Japanese lessons varies depending on the tutor or teacher you select and the duration of the session. Prices typically range from $5 to $15 per hour for trial lessons, with full lessons costing anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour with the average being about $20 per hour. Session lengths range from 30 to 90 minutes, and the prices will change depending on how long of a session you choose or the topic planned for the session. For instance, one tutor offers an exam prep session for $20 an hour whereas a "general Japanese” session for 45 minutes is $18. To help you decide between tutors and prices, you can view student ratings for each tutor, providing insight into the quality of their service. Many of the tutors we researched received a perfect 5-star rating from their students.

Progress depends on you and your outside study

italki operates as a tutoring service rather than a structured language-learning program, meaning there are no preset lesson plans or targets to meet. Your advancement will vary with different tutors, and you'll need to rely on external lesson materials (which may be provided by the tutor) to see progress toward fluency. While some tutors may offer specialized lessons like "test prep” or particular levels of Japanese like "Intermediate Japanese I”, you'll need to actively seek out these opportunities on italki. This approach is more self-directed compared to other platforms we've evaluated.

Unclear refund policy if you don't use credits

Refunds from italki are somewhat unclear. During our research we found that to get a refund from italki, you must use "credits" bought through its platform instead of making direct payments with a card or other payment method. If you've used credits, you can get them refunded back to your account, but there isn't a specific refund policy for paying with a card. Luckily, there's no penalty for canceling, whether it's you or your tutor who cancels. However, we had trouble finding any information about payment policies if you decide not to use italki credits.

Students love the teachers and the price

Overall, the reviews for italki are highly positive. According to Trustpilot, italki has an impressive average rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars. Students particularly appreciate the high quality of instruction offered by the teachers as well as the low prices. Looking at the reviews for Japanese tutors on italki's website also showed impressive feedback. The entire first page of tutors received perfect 5-star ratings from their students.

Use italki with your other learning methods

italki has established a strong reputation for excellent tutoring. However, the platform's emphasis on tutoring sessions may leave students without a specific curriculum to follow. If your primary method of learning Japanese relies solely on italki, you might need to supplement it with outside resources. This potential extra cost contributes to italki's rating. On the other hand, if you're looking for a high-quality language-focused tutoring service to improve your Japanese learning, italki comes highly rated and recommended by students.

Duolingo

• Pricing from free to $9.99 per month
• Sentence-reading and listening approach
• Hiragana lessons right away
• Totally free account available
• 14-day free trial of premium (Super Duolingo)
• Gamified learning with points and leaderboards
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android
• 4.7-star average rating

If you're not familiar with Duolingo yet, you might be missing out on something big. This language-learning platform has become popular with students and teachers (and especially on social media), thanks to its adorable owl mascot that nudges you to keep learning. Duolingo is well known for its gamified method of teaching Japanese, along with over 40 other languages. It's become a top choice for many first-time language learners since it's a free option that can help you establish the basics in a flash.

Preview lesson offers detailed alphabet discussions

Starting your Japanese language journey with Duolingo couldn't be easier. It offers a 100% free sign-up, allowing you to dive into learning before you even make an account. Simply select the language you're interested in (like Japanese, in our case), and Duolingo will guide you through some initial questions about your learning goals, your current level, and how much time you can dedicate daily. Without any commitment, you'll be directed to your first lesson.

Writing system emphasized

During our trial run, we noticed that Duolingo emphasizes grasping the Hiragana writing system right away, offering detailed explanations about a symbolic alphabet rather than a phonetic one (like we use in English). Your progress is tracked with a helpful bar at the top, gradually turning green as you answer questions. Mistakes prompt quick review questions, and the lesson's key feature, especially for free members, is the heart system. Losing hearts for errors (starting with 5) can be frustrating, but it encourages focused learning from the outset.

Free to learn or $6.99 per month

Duolingo provides a subscription service priced at $6.99 per month. You can use a 14-day trial to explore premium features before committing, but if you don't remember to cancel your premium membership post-trial, you'll automatically be charged. (On the bright side, you can use Duolingo totally for free if you don't want to worry about automatic renewals and premium costs.) Super Duolingo offers you access to features like unlimited replay so you won't lose progress when making mistakes, along with access to extra practice tools to master challenging aspects of Japanese. Duolingo recently introduced a Super Duolingo Family Plan, which allows you to add several learners on a single paid subscription, including friends or roommates. While the exact pricing and signup details may be hard to find, our research suggests an approximate cost of $9.99 per month for up to 5 people.

Fluency may require outside resources

One drawback of Duolingo is that achieving fluency in a language isn't as straightforward compared to other platforms. While Duolingo's gamified approach does make learning fun, language experts tend to criticize it as being overly addictive, potentially keeping students from more effective learning methods. To truly gain language skills, you need to approach learning with purpose. Taking notes, practicing outside of Duolingo, and independently focusing on grammar may be necessary to truly succeed in Japanese fluency. While Duolingo offers valuable features, relying solely on it may not suffice for mastering Japanese without outside study.

No refunds after 14-day trial

According to Duolingo, refunds are not available for any purchases. So, if you don't monitor your 14-day free trial closely, you may find yourself automatically enrolled in a somewhat pricey premium membership. Those who have been charged stated that Duolingo took payment for a full year rather than on a month-to-month basis after the free trial. So, even though the pricing is advertised as monthly on the website, you may be looking at over $60 if you miss your window to cancel.

Students love it, but the BBB shows concerns

In terms of reputation, Duolingo receives mixed feedback. The Better Business Bureau rates Duolingo with an "F" grade, based on 254 complaints lodged within the last 3 years. However, if you look at the ratings on app stores like Google Play and the Apple Store, Duolingo presents a different picture. Currently, Duolingo holds a 4.7-star rating on both platforms and even earned the Editors Choice award on the Apple Store. Students report seeing progress in their language skills and describe the program as "fun."

Best for beginners, not for full fluency

Ultimately, Duolingo offers a fun approach to learning Japanese, but it may not be the most well-rounded choice available. Some students suggest that it's ideal for beginners or for dipping your toes into a new language rather than relying on it for full proficiency. Nevertheless, with its affordable pricing and enjoyable interface, Duolingo remains popular among students. Since it's free to use, it's worth downloading as a tool alongside other learning programs or coursework. For these reasons, Duolingo earns a respectable rating for Japanese lessons.

Memrise

• Priced $27.99 per month, $89.99 per year, or as low as $124.99 for lifetime
• Free features available
• Video and audio lessons with native speakers in authentic contexts
• Vocab library
• 30-day refund window
• App and desktop access
• 4.5-star average

Established by three individuals who met during their studies in neuroscience and psychology at Oxford, Memrise was conceived from their joint interest in human learning and a shared goal for more efficient language acquisition. Ed specialized in memory techniques, eventually achieving the title of Grandmaster of Memory. Greg pursued a PhD in neuroscience at Princeton, while Ben tested his language acquisition theories in Qiqihar, a city situated on the Sino-Siberian border. Memrise uses expertise from all three fields to promote a deep understanding of second language acquisition.

Can't try it out until you sign up

To begin learning Japanese with Memrise, simply click on the "Start Learning" button, which directs you to a page where you can choose your native language and the language you wish to learn (in this case, Japanese) from a list of options. Following this, you'll be prompted to create an account using your email or social media credentials. While you won't be able to preview complete lessons on the Memrise website until you've registered and created an account, you can view visuals from the lessons beforehand. For instance, you can preview static images of audio-visual multiple-choice questions throughout the site. On the Japanese page, you can view a quick preview video that tells you the basics of using Memrise, promising you a language "journey” through their platform. But, this preview isn't specifically linked to the Japanese lessons.

Jumps around writing systems

We did a little digging for you to find more details about what the lessons actually include. Outside of Memrise, we were able to find the details for you. Regarding the Japanese course, in Level 0, learners encounter a confusing blend of formal and informal speech combined with hiragana, lacking contextual explanations for what they're studying. Progressing to Level 1, learners are immediately introduced to kanji and it seems to be missing context and guidance through these different alphabet systems. Memrise's courses seem geared towards teaching travelers how to communicate using memorized phrases, which becomes more challenging with the addition of kanji. However, solely memorizing phrases doesn't suffice for achieving fluency, especially for Japanese.

From free to $249.99 to learn

Memrise offers a free learning model as well as a premium membership. The premium membership promises faster improvement as it grants you access to extra vocabulary lessons, videos by native speakers, and opportunities for conversation practice. The no-cost version gives you most lessons for free, but you will experience frequent ads during your learning. Pricing options for premium include $27.99 per month, $89.99 per year, or a $124.99 lifetime membership, depending on the promotions available at the time. For example, the lifetime membership can cost as much as $249.99 if you don't catch a promotion.

Too focused on vocab

To help you progress, Memrise uses the Spaced Repetition System, or SRS. This is a tool that functions by tracking your memory of specific words and phrases. Based on this tracking, it arranges review sessions to prioritize the items you struggle with, so you get more frequent practice in those areas. This approach optimizes your study time by concentrating on the words and phrases that require more attention. Memrise Japanese employs this system effectively, but it still doesn't solve one of the main problems with gaining fluency in this system: a vocab-heavy approach. While vocab is important, Japanese speakers and experts note that Memrise's heavy focus on memorizing keywords and phrases isn't enough to get you to true fluency in the language.

Promise of 30-day refunds, but no guarantee

To be eligible for a refund, you need to contact Memrise within 30 days of starting your subscription. While Memrise doesn't explicitly guarantee a refund, they assure you that they will discuss the possibility if you reach out within this timeframe. However, once the initial 30 days have passed, the service is prepaid and non-refundable, regardless of circumstances.

Mixed reviews unless you pay for premium

Feedback about Memrise varies. Trustpilot reviews give it a disappointing 2.2-star average rating, with some students expressing dissatisfaction with recent changes, particularly regarding ads on the free version and the removal of user-created lessons. However, on mobile app platforms like the Apple Store and Google Play Store, Memrise garners higher ratings, averaging 4.8 and 4.5 stars, respectively. Positive reviews often highlight the quality of language videos and immersive learning experiences. It seems that the higher-rated reviews may pertain more to the Premium version rather than the free one, based on the features mentioned in those reviews.

Has some room to improve

Despite offering a lifetime access option, Memrise's mixed reviews raise concerns. While it appears popular on mobile app stores, third-party sites give it much lower ratings. Compared to platforms with more robust learning systems that go beyond vocab, Memrise falls short. As a result, Memrise receives a mid-tier rating. However, for those seeking a permanent license for a learning program rather than a monthly or annual payment plan, exploring Memrise's lifetime membership for Japanese lessons is still worth considering.

Mondly

• Pricing from $9.99 per month or $48 per year
• Sentence-reading and listening approach
• Latin alphabet alongside hiragana
• Preview content with a free account
• 7-day free trial of premium
• Can use both offline and online
• Gamified learning with points and leaderboards
• Learn from source languages other than English
• Mobile apps for iOS and Android

Mondly is a language learning program that's headquartered in Romania. This platform offers a fun and user-friendly approach to language learning, backed by recognition from Forbes, CNN, and Bloomberg. Mondly provides a dedicated app for kids, making it a competitive option for families who want to learn Japanese together. While the basic version offers free content, advanced features are available through a separate subscription. With a lesson design that follows a map-like structure, you can learn step-by-step as you progress through the language of your choice.

Sneak peek with free trial

Finding Japanese lessons on Mondly is simple. You just choose your starting language and indicate your proficiency level in Japanese and you're ready to start learning without even making an account. This free trial period allows you a sneak peek at the first six lessons, a vocabulary section, a Chatbot conversation, and bonus lessons on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Mondly throws you right in

We tested out the first lesson, which throws you right into the language. You can toggle between hiragana and the Latin alphabet, but if you learn according to the way Mondly is set up by default, you'll be seeing only hiragana characters and pictures loosely related to the term you're learning. The lesson progresses quickly from pictures and vocabulary words to full sentences using hiragana characters. For an absolute beginner, this might feel frustratingly fast. It's almost impossible to complete the lesson in Hiragana without using the Latin alphabet back and forth during lesson one.

You don't have to start from English to learn

Mondly's distinctive features help it stand out. For one, Mondly was designed for students beginning from various languages, not solely English. This departure from the usual practice of assuming English as the starting point is particularly helpful if you're starting Japanese from a Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Polish, or other language background.

Monthly or annual payment options

While Mondly offers a free membership, it comes with certain limitations. The free version allows you to use Daily Lessons, the entire Hello lesson category, and a single chatbot lesson. However, to access more content, a subscription is required. To get an idea of what you might find with premium, Mondly offers a 7-day free trial. If you choose to subscribe, you'll find two primary plans available. The Mondly premium plan costs $9.99 per month or $47.99 per year with a 12-month prepayment option. You can also choose an annual access plan that provides access to 33 languages. At the time of our review, this package was on sale for the same price as the regular annual membership ($47.99). On the other hand, if you try to buy it outside of the promo period it can cost up to $479.99.

Learning style lacks grammar

At present, Mondly provides limited direct grammar instruction. From our observation during testing, the platform focuses on teaching through sentences and phrases, gradually incorporating grammar nuances without explicitly highlighting them in the lesson material. While this method may not appeal to everyone, especially those accustomed to structured lessons with explicit grammar explanations, Mondly's approach combines pictures, listening exercises, and written words. However, this can be overwhelming in more complex languages like Japanese where you may feel like you've been thrown into the deep end without a lot of explanation.

Extremely limited refund policy

One of the most disappointing parts of Mondly is its refund policy. Currently, only special circumstances qualify for a refund. These include things like a breach of contract terms by Mondly. Basically, Mondly has to be proven to be at fault for you to receive a refund. If Mondly is at fault and you've already paid for future services, Mondly will reimburse you for the unused portion of your subscription from the cancellation date. While this might not pose a significant issue if you plan to use a monthly membership, it could be disappointing for those who prepaid for a year.

Some mixed reviews on effectiveness

Based on student feedback, Mondly has gained a strong reputation, despite concerns about its refund policy. Reviews on the Apple Store and Google Play store both show high average ratings, with students praising Mondly for its effectiveness in helping them sound authentic and understand conversational language. However, there are some mixed reviews on third-party sites like Trustpilot where Mondly has a more mid-tier rating of 3.3 stars out of 5. Students complained that some lessons were very difficult to follow and that Mondly doesn't spend enough time teaching clear pronunciation. While none of these reviews referred to specific languages, we noticed similar drawbacks in our preview of Japanese lesson 1.

Japanese lessons may move too quickly

Mondly distinguishes itself as a cost-effective choice for Japanese lessons. However, as we know, not all sites are one-size-fits-all for language learning. While Mondly's method and continually evolving lessons position it as a preferred option for many languages, it misses the mark a little with Japanese. The program dives too quickly into full sentences without taking time to parse characters in hiragana and pronunciation to match the new character shapes. With this problem, along with some concerns about refunds and proficiency in the long term, Mondly doesn't come out as a favorite for learning Japanese.

FluentU

• Priced from $29.99 per month to up to $359.99 per year
• Video-based approach
• Context exercises and vocab
• App for Android and iOS
• 14-day free trial
• 20-day money-back guarantee
• 4.3-star average

FluentU offers a unique approach to Japanese learning, aiming to help you gain fluency by immersing you in authentic video content from various sources like music videos, TV shows, and movies. Unlike traditional classroom methods, FluentU provides context-rich lessons that mirror real-life language usage (like watching Iron Man in Japanese) to foster a deeper understanding and comfort with Japanese.

No trial lessons unless you give them your payment info

When you first get started on FluentU, you'll see a preview video (or rather, a movie trailer) of what you can expect from the FluentU teaching style. Using TV, movies, and music videos in Japanese, you can learn from your favorite entertaining sources rather than a textbook. To jump into the process just click the "14-days free” button. You'll be asked questions about which language you want to learn, how fluent you already are, your age, your daily goal (from 5-50 minutes per day), and then asked to sign up with your email. However, before you can get to any lessons, you'll have to put in your credit card information. Unlike competitors that offer sample lessons with no strings attached, FluentU's trial terms may keep students from even trying the program out.

Great for visual learners

FluentU supports Japanese lessons from the beginner to the advanced level. By using authentic video clips, FluentU offers a "dynamic” learning experience supplemented with interactive tools such as word lookup, contextual examples, subtitles in Japanese and English, and spaced repetition exercises. This is definitely a program for any visual learners (and film fans).

Price includes multiple languages

FluentU offers subscription options at $29.99 per month or $359.99 per year (or $143.99 per year on sale). This is a bit more expensive than many other Japanese lessons online, and your purchase might incur foreign transaction fees between 1-3% because FluentU is based in Hong Kong. Despite the relatively higher cost, subscribers enjoy access to a wide variety of languages, which could be attractive for those interested in learning multiple languages simultaneously.

Gain skills by watching captioned videos

You can progress from beginner to intermediate through context-based learning. One way that FluentU helps with this is the interactive video lessons. While the video plays, captions are displayed at the bottom, featuring Japanese text accompanied by furigana (character readings) and English translations. There's an option to toggle the captions to show only Japanese without furigana or English, which can help you improve your reading speed faster. What distinguishes FluentU is its feature which allows you to hover your mouse over unfamiliar words in the video captions, automatically pausing the video and displaying the word's definition before you continue your content. This, mixed with other interactive exercises and vocab study, helps students move from beginner to advanced Japanese.

20-day money-back guarantee

FluentU has recently added a refund policy to its site. You are offered a 20-day money-back guarantee, which makes it a little easier to sign up for the free trial with your credit card information. However, it's still a smaller refund window than many competitors. According to FluentU, all you have to do is contact customer service to get your refund within that 20-day window.

Solid, but not the best reviews

The feedback for FluentU is solid, though not the highest we've seen in our review. It averages around 4 stars from the Google Play store and 4.3 stars from the Apple store. While it gets a favorable score from Trustpilot with a 4.3-star average there too, there are only around 80 total reviews to back up that score. Generally, students praise how easy and fun the program is, though a handful of reviews call the lessons "scattered”, making it harder to learn Japanese with FluentU from scratch.

Misses the mark with transparency and structure

Overall, while FluentU offers an innovative approach to language learning through authentic content, it may not be as suitable for beginners. While it's a fun way to learn Japanese using videos and contextual exercises, the concerns from students who called it "scattered” make it less ideal for those looking for a structured lesson plan. Given that you can't try the program before you put in your payment information, it doesn't rank high in transparency either. Many of our higher-rated programs offer more complete lessons and the ability to try the program first.

Lingualift

• Priced $19.99 per month up to $155.88 per year
• Reading and listening lessons
• 30-day refund window
• Tutors offered to members
• App and desktop access
• Can use both offline and online

Lingualift offers Japanese lessons as part of its language instruction platform, developed over six years by experts from Oxford, Stanford, and Harvard University. The focus of their research was to improve teaching methods, organization, and examples for student retention and engagement. However, Lingualift stands out as being the program that offers the fewest languages in our review. Alongside Japanese, the only other options at Lingualift include Spanish, Russian, and French.

First lesson is writing heavy

You can join right away and try out an initial lesson. Sign up either with your email or social media account and then you can get into the process for free. If you want, you can take a placement test or start the initial lesson right away. The initial lessons on Lingualift emphasize Japanese culture, offering insights into various aspects such as capsule hotels and customary greetings. The first lesson has long blocks of text before you get to listening exercises that exemplify the cultural discussion earlier in the lesson. The written portion of the first lesson is followed by a quiz that asks you to complete some hiragana characters that you learned in the lesson, though not every lesson offers a quiz.

Lingualift missing speaking exercises

On top of written lessons, Lingualift offers instructor assistance as part of its subscription packages, allowing you to receive feedback on assignments. This support feature is included without a significant increase in cost. However, Lingualift falls short in terms of practice, particularly in speaking exercises. In general, the program lacks robust speaking practice tools such as speech recognition or recording features. This limitation contributes to Lingualift's ranking far below other Japanese lessons on our list.

Prices from $19.99 per month

You can choose from four different pay periods at Lingualift: monthly, quarterly, bi-annual, and annual. This allows you to unlock premium benefits like 500 hours more of lesson content and access to Japanese tutors. Here's what you can expect to pay with Lingualift:

• Monthly: $19.99
• Quarterly: $50.97
• Bi-annual: $89.94
• Annual: $155.88

Limited progression for free members

The Japanese curriculum at Lingualift comprises four levels of difficulty, with access to the first four lessons in each level for free. If you subscribe, each level offers 25 total lessons, meaning you get 100 total lessons for your Japanese study. However, if you don't subscribe, you're left with just 16 lessons to explore before you run out of things to learn.

30-day refund policy

Lingualift offers you some security with your purchase by offering a refund within 30 days. This is a "no-questions-asked” policy, so no matter what reason you have, you can cancel your membership for Lingualift and get your money back. This is helpful since you can only try the unlocked lessons without paying for a membership, so this will give you a chance to see how the more advanced lessons work before you make a decision.

Concerning reviews raise red flags for Lingualift

Lingualift comes out with one of the worst reputations in our review. According to the mobile app stores, Lingualift has an average rating of 1.8 stars out of 5. The scores are similarly low from third-party review sites like Trustpilot where the average is just 2.8 stars. From both students and linguists, the feedback is the same: Lingualift isn't worth the time or the money. One customer, who joined the platform to learn Japanese, paid for the membership and never got access to the other lessons, and never got a response from customer service.

Lingualift needs some help before it's a contender

Lingualift's Japanese lessons don't stand out from the pack. Considering the low ratings and concerning reviews about not getting access to paid materials, we're wary of recommending Lingualift. For now, we recommend you check out the higher-rated options in our review before heading to Lingualift.