Inku vs WaniKani for Japanese
Choose WaniKani when reading kanji is the main goal. Choose Inku when you also need kana, everyday words and phrases, and want them in one daily routine.
How does Inku compare to WaniKani?
Both tools teach kanji with spaced repetition, but they ask different things of you. WaniKani is a fixed curriculum: radicals first, then the kanji built from them, then words that use those kanji, and the next level opens only when most of the current level's kanji are well known. Inku treats kanji as one course beside kana, vocabulary and phrases, so a beginner can read, listen and build words in the same session. The decision is whether you want a long, dedicated kanji path or one routine that covers the basics together. Inku publishes this comparison, so each WaniKani claim below links to WaniKani's own help pages.
Which should you choose?
Choose Inku if
- You still need hiragana and katakana, or you want kana, vocabulary and kanji in one review routine.
- You want everyday vocabulary and phrases that are not tied to the kanji order.
- You want an app on iPhone or the web from the same company that makes the content.
Choose WaniKani if
- Reading kanji is your main goal and you want a fixed path through about 2,000 kanji.
- You like radical-based mnemonics and a level system that decides what you learn next.
- You want to try the first three levels before paying.
When is Inku the better choice?
- You still need kana. Inku teaches hiragana and katakana with audio before you need them in vocabulary. WaniKani's prerequisites page recommends learning hiragana now and katakana within a couple of levels, but WaniKani does not teach them itself.
- You want vocabulary and phrases for daily life. Inku's decks follow JLPT levels and everyday topics, and its phrase packs cover casual, polite and travel Japanese. WaniKani's vocabulary is chosen to reinforce the kanji you have just learned, so useful words can arrive late when their kanji sit at a high level.
- You want to hear everything you study. Inku plays pronunciation audio for words, phrases and kana. WaniKani's help center says it has audio for vocabulary but none for radicals or kanji.
- You want an official mobile app. Inku has its own iPhone app and web app. WaniKani is studied on its website, and the mobile apps that connect to it, such as Tsurukame, are made by third parties.
When is WaniKani the better choice?
- You want a large, complete kanji path. WaniKani says it teaches over 2,000 kanji and about 6,000 vocabulary words. Inku's kanji course has 960 kanji from N5 to N1.
- You want radicals and mnemonics to drive the order. WaniKani teaches each kanji through the radicals that make it up and gives every radical, kanji and word a mnemonic. Inku gives memory cues where they help and teaches kanji in a fixed order, but it does not build a radical system.
- You want typed answers for readings and meanings. WaniKani asks you to type each reading and meaning, which is a strict test of recall. Inku uses flashcards that you flip and grade yourself.
- You want to try it before paying. WaniKani's first three levels need no payment. Inku offers an introductory lesson on the web, and continued study needs Inku Pro.
Inku and WaniKani side by side
WaniKani facts come from wanikani.com and the WaniKani Knowledge Center, checked on October 16, 2026. Inku facts come from the current Inku web app and the iPhone App Store listing.
| Criterion | Inku | WaniKani |
|---|---|---|
| Main focus | Kana, vocabulary, phrases and kanji | Kanji, with radicals and kanji vocabulary |
| Kana | Taught with audio | Not taught; learn hiragana before you start |
| Kanji | 960, N5–N1 | 2,000+ across 60 levels |
| Vocabulary | JLPT N5–N1 and topic decks | About 6,000 words that use taught kanji |
| Phrases | Casual, polite and travel packs | Not a separate course |
| Order | Choose a deck or course | Fixed; levels unlock as kanji reach Guru |
| Review style | Flip and grade: Again, Got it or Too easy | Type the reading and the meaning |
| Scheduling | FSRS, adapted to each answer | Nine stages with fixed intervals, from a few hours to four months |
| Audio | Words, phrases and kana | Vocabulary only |
| Your own cards | Create cards and decks | Not supported |
| Platforms | iPhone app and web app | Website; third-party mobile apps |
| Cost | Inku Pro subscription | Levels 1–3 at no charge, then paid |
Sources and pricing
Pricing last checked: October 16, 2026. Prices can vary by country, platform, checkout, tax, and promotion.
The same learner in Inku and WaniKani
Take a learner who knows hiragana, has finished an N5 textbook, and wants to read more kanji on signs and in simple articles over the next year.
Setting up
In Inku: They open the Kanji course in Inku and start at N5, or move to N4 if the N5 kanji are already familiar. Their vocabulary decks and phrase packs sit in the same app.
In WaniKani: They create a WaniKani account and start at level 1 with radicals. They cannot skip ahead, even if they already know some of the early kanji.
The first session
In Inku: A kanji lesson teaches five kanji with meanings, readings, a memory cue where helpful and a sample word, then asks them to recall each one.
In WaniKani: A lesson batch teaches radicals with mnemonics. Kanji lessons open after those radicals reach the Guru stage.
The next day
In Inku: Due kanji appear in Kanji review, separate from the word and phrase review on Home. The learner can study the next five kanji whenever they choose.
In WaniKani: Reviews come back on WaniKani's fixed intervals, starting at a few hours. The learner types the meaning and reading for each item, and the next level unlocks when 90% of the current kanji reach Guru.
Advice by level
Complete beginner
Learn kana first. WaniKani expects hiragana from the start, while Inku teaches it, so Inku is the more natural first step. You can add WaniKani once you read kana comfortably.
Returning learner
If you stopped partway through WaniKani, your account remembers your level. If you are restarting from a textbook, Inku lets you begin at the level that matches what you remember instead of from level 1.
Intermediate or advanced, or preparing for the JLPT
For N2 and N1, kanji knowledge matters, and WaniKani's larger path goes further than Inku's kanji course. The JLPT does not publish official kanji or vocabulary lists, so neither tool's levels match the exam exactly. Pair either one with reading, listening and grammar practice.
Can you use Inku and WaniKani together?
Using both works when they do different jobs. Use WaniKani for kanji and Inku for kana, phrases and JLPT vocabulary, and skip Inku's kanji course so you are not reviewing the same characters twice. Expect a larger daily review load, because WaniKani reviews grow as you level up.
Our take
When kanji is the job, WaniKani is the stronger choice. Its structure is the point, and it suits learners who want to be told exactly what comes next. When you need the rest of beginner Japanese at the same time, especially kana, everyday words and phrases, Inku is the stronger choice.
Verdict
Choose WaniKani if you want a dedicated, long kanji course and are happy to learn kana elsewhere. Choose Inku if you want kana, vocabulary, phrases and kanji in one routine on iPhone or the web.
Beginners should start with kana in Inku, then decide whether a dedicated kanji course is worth a second daily review. Learners already comfortable with kana who mainly want kanji can try WaniKani's first three levels to see whether its pace suits them.
Read next
- How to study kanji with flashcards. See how to connect each kanji to readings and real words instead of memorising it alone.
- Kanji radicals guide. Understand the radical approach WaniKani uses before you commit to a radical-first course.
- Kanji learning strategies. Compare mnemonics, vocabulary-first study and reading practice for remembering kanji.
- Learn hiragana. Start here if you cannot read hiragana yet, because both Inku's vocabulary and WaniKani assume it.
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
Do WaniKani and Inku overlap?+
Both teach kanji with spaced repetition, and both teach vocabulary. WaniKani's vocabulary follows its kanji path, while Inku's follows JLPT levels and everyday topics. Inku also teaches kana and phrases, which WaniKani does not.
How many kanji does each one teach?+
WaniKani says it teaches over 2,000 kanji across 60 levels. Inku teaches 960 kanji from N5 to N1, on iPhone and on the web.
How long does WaniKani take?+
WaniKani's help center says a fast learner can finish all 60 levels in just over a year, and that a year and a half to two years is a more reasonable pace.
Is Inku a paid app?+
Yes. Studying in Inku needs an Inku Pro subscription. WaniKani charges after level 3. Check each company's current checkout for prices in your country.
Related comparisons
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