Nihongo Flow vs Bunpro
Bunpro is a grammar specialist with a loyal JLPT crowd. Nihongo Flow is a broader app built around speaking. They overlap less than you'd think.
Written by the Nihongo Flow team. We make one of these apps, so read this with that in mind. We give the other apps their wins too and link every source. Facts checked on 2026-11-07. Prices change and differ by country. If something here is out of date, tell us on Discord and we fix it. A dash (—) means the product's own pages don't list it.
At a glance
| Nihongo Flow | Bunpro | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free plan · Premium €7.99 a month or €89.99 a year | $5 a month or $150 lifetime on bunpro.jp · App Store (US): $6.49 a month, $64.99 a year, $194.99 lifetime |
| Free trial | 3 days of Premium; the free plan never expires | 30 days, no credit card; after that a limited free tier without SRS reviews |
| Grammar | 52 lessons from N5 to N1 | 900+ grammar points from N5 to N1 |
| JLPT practice tests | — | 25 practice tests |
| AI speaking practice | AI tutor chat (16+) · live voice call with Sensei in Ultra Maxx | — |
| Spoken vs textbook Japanese | Side by side, with register labels | — |
| Explanation languages | 10 | English |
| Platforms | iPhone, web (works in Android browsers) | Web, iOS, Android |
| Review | SM-2 spaced repetition | Own stage-based SRS |
Where Bunpro is better
- Far deeper grammar: 900+ points against our 52 lessons. For N3–N1 grammar, Bunpro is in another league.
- 25 JLPT practice tests.
- A lifetime plan and a native Android app.
- A longer free trial (30 days, no card).
Where Nihongo Flow is better
- Speaking: an AI tutor to chat with, and a live voice call with Sensei in Ultra Maxx.
- Casual vs polite Japanese shown side by side, with when to use which.
- Explanations in 10 languages.
- A free plan that keeps your reviews running forever.
- Kana training, immersion worlds and folklore stories for beginners.
Our honest take
Preparing for N3–N1 grammar? Use Bunpro. Want to speak and sound natural? Use Nihongo Flow. Many learners will want both: Bunpro for grammar drills, Nihongo Flow for conversation.
Sources
- https://bunpro.jp/pricing
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/bunpro-japanese-srs/id1615337616
- https://bunpro.jp/support/using-bunpro
- https://nihongo-flow.app/en/pricing
- https://apps.apple.com/app/nihongo-flow/id6795556751
Free, no credit card. Try it and judge for yourself.
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