Inku vs Bunpo for Japanese
Bunpo teaches grammar through lessons and quizzes. Inku focuses on learning and reviewing kana, kanji, vocabulary and phrases.
How does Inku compare to Bunpo?
Inku publishes this comparison. Bunpo's App Store listing describes a Japanese course with hiragana and katakana, grammar for every JLPT level from N5 to N1 with plain-English explanations, example sentences, quizzes, speech recognition and spaced review. It now teaches eight or more languages. Inku does not teach grammar. It teaches words, phrases and characters, then schedules each one for review.
When is Inku the better choice?
- Your bottleneck is vocabulary. Inku has vocabulary decks for every JLPT level from N5 to N1, everyday topic decks such as food, travel and shopping and three phrase packs, each with pronunciation audio. Bunpo's course is built around grammar lessons, with vocabulary inside them.
- You want kanji as its own course. Inku has a kanji course with 960 kanji from N5 to N1, taught five at a time with readings, meanings and sample words.
- You want an app made only for Japanese. Every Inku deck is Japanese. Bunpo's listing now covers Japanese, Korean, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and English.
When is Bunpo the better choice?
- You need grammar explained. Bunpo's listing promises grammar for every JLPT level with plain-English explanations and exercises. Inku has no grammar lessons.
- You want to practice speaking. Bunpo's listing describes speaking practice with speech recognition from the first lesson. Inku plays audio but does not check your pronunciation.
- You use Android. Bunpo has an Android app. Inku has no Android app yet, although its web app works in an Android browser.
Inku and Bunpo side by side
| Criterion | Inku | Bunpo |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Vocabulary, phrases, kana and kanji | Grammar, with vocabulary and speaking |
| Grammar lessons | None | N5 to N1 with explanations |
| Kana | Taught with audio | Taught in the Japanese course |
| Vocabulary decks | JLPT N5–N1, topics and phrase packs | Inside the course |
| Speaking practice | Listen only | Speech recognition |
| Review | FSRS for every item | Spaced review in the study plan |
| Languages | Japanese only | Eight or more |
| Platforms | iPhone app and web app | iPhone and Android apps |
Sources and pricing
Pricing last checked: October 16, 2026. Prices can vary by country, platform, checkout, tax, and promotion.
Our take
Bunpo and Inku are closer to partners than rivals. Grammar without vocabulary leaves you with sentence patterns you cannot fill, and vocabulary without grammar leaves you with words you cannot connect.
Verdict
Choose Bunpo if grammar is what you need to learn next. Choose Inku if you need vocabulary, phrases, kana and kanji with a review schedule.
If you are starting from zero, learn kana and your first N5 words in Inku, then add a grammar course such as Bunpo when sentences start to feel like the limit.
How we research this
Inku publishes this comparison, so it is not neutral. We check competitor claims against their official websites, help pages and App Store listings (last checked October 16, 2026), and Inku claims against the current iPhone listing and web app. Inku's pronunciation audio is synthesized speech, not human recordings. Found an error? Email app@inkujapanese.com and we will correct it.
Common questions
Should I use Inku and Bunpo together?+
You can. Use Bunpo for grammar lessons and Inku for vocabulary, phrases and kanji review. Keep each app on its own job so you do not repeat the same practice twice.
Does Inku teach grammar?+
No. Inku's phrase packs show grammar in real sentences, but Inku does not explain grammar or drill it.
Related comparisons
Looking at this as a switch rather than a head-to-head? See the best Bunpo alternative for Japanese.
Other Inku comparisons worth a look:
Or zoom out: the best Japanese flashcard apps roundup, all comparisons, and all alternatives. New to Japanese? Start with the full learning roadmap.
