Inku vs Noji
Inku vs Noji for Japanese
Noji is a web-based flashcard tool with a powerful tool library. Inku is a native iPhone app with actor-recorded audio.
Short answer
Noji offers custom flashcard creation, a toolbox of utilities, and web-first access. Inku offers a curated iPhone experience.
Intro
Noji has emerged as a flexible web-first flashcard tool with a strong set of side utilities (AI deck generators, PDF-to-flashcard tools). Inku is a dedicated iPhone app with a curated deck. Different shapes of the same problem.
When Inku is the better pick
- You want a native iPhone app. Noji is web-first with mobile support. Inku is SwiftUI native.
- You want actor audio. Inku has recorded audio. Noji uses TTS.
- You want a finished Japanese deck. Inku ships with a curated N5 deck. Noji expects you to build or import decks.
When Noji is the better pick
- You want to build your own cards easily. Noji has a better deck-building UI than most competitors. Inku does not support custom decks.
- You want AI-powered deck creation. Noji's AI tools can generate cards from a PDF or webpage.
- You want a free tier. Noji has a usable free tier. Inku is subscription-first.
Feature-by-feature
| Feature | Inku | Noji | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native app | iPhone | Web + mobile | |
| Audio | Actor-recorded | TTS | |
| Pre-built Japanese deck | Yes | Some user decks | |
| Custom deck creation | No | Yes, strong tools | |
| AI tools | None | Deck generators, OCR | |
| Pricing | $29.99/yr | Free or $60/yr |
Inku's favor · Noji's favor · roughly even
The honest take
Noji and Inku solve different problems. Noji is a toolbox. Inku is a product. If you want to build your own study system, Noji is powerful. If you want to just learn Japanese, Inku is simpler.
Verdict
Use Noji if: you like building custom flashcards and experimenting with tools. Use Inku if: you want a ready-made Japanese deck with native audio.
Different tools for different workflows.
From a learner
“I came from this app, bounced off, and Inku gave me something I could actually finish. That is the whole pitch.”
Common questions
Can I export Inku cards to Noji?+
Not currently. Inku's deck is product-level IP, not exportable as an Anki-style deck.
See more comparisons: all comparison pages. Or start with the full learning roadmap.