PTT Japanese vocabulary app recommendations: 4 apps compared
Looking for Japanese vocabulary apps in PTT discussions? Start with Anki for your own cards, GraspJPN for ready-made exercises, MOJi Dictionary for lookup and word lists, or Maho for sentence analysis and follow-up questions. Here is how these four options differ.
In this article
Four vocabulary apps compared
Compare custom cards, ready-made exercises, dictionary lookup and sentence analysis, then choose the tool that fits what you are studying.
Filter the platforms covered here. All app reviews remain below.
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| App | Main function | Best fit | Platform / cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anki | Custom cards and review scheduling | Your books and reading notes | Free desktop / Android; paid iOS |
| GraspJPN | Kana and graded exercises | Ready-made material | iOS / Android; free + purchases |
| MOJi Dictionary | Lookup, examples and word lists | Reading with a dictionary | iPhone / iPad; free + purchases |
| Maho | Contextual analysis and AI questions | Understanding whole sentences | Web / iOS; AI plans and points |
1. Anki: build a collection from your books and reading
Anki lets you decide what belongs in your collection. Add words from an article today and examples from a lesson tomorrow, then keep them in a review schedule. Cards support sound and pictures, with synchronisation between devices.
Best for: learners who already have material they want to remember. Keep preparation manageable: a large collection is not useful if making cards leaves no time to review.
Platforms and cost: desktop and AnkiDroid are free; official AnkiMobile for iPhone / iPad is paid. Official downloads · AnkiMobile · AnkiDroid.
2. GraspJPN: graded practice without finding a deck
GraspJPN provides kana and graded vocabulary cards and exercises. Listening, spelling and selection tasks give you different ways to check what you remember.
Best for: learners building vocabulary or practising at a JLPT level. If you already follow a textbook, check how much the material overlaps before committing.
Platforms and cost: iOS and Android, free with purchases. Check access separately on each platform. App Store · Google Play.
3. MOJi Dictionary: look up a word and keep it for review
MOJi Dictionary combines Japanese lookup with examples, word lists and vocabulary review. It is a different product from the exam-focused MOJiTest. The dictionary is worth considering when reading leads you to unfamiliar words.
Best for: learners checking readings, meanings and verb forms in context. Before buying, check which detailed entries and review features require membership.
Platforms and cost: this guide checked the US iPhone / iPad version. It is free to download with purchases and membership options. View MOJi Dictionary.
4. Maho: break down a sentence and ask about its usage
Maho brings the original sentence, translation, vocabulary and grammar together when analysing an image or text. You can ask AI to explain a part of the material, compare usage or add examples without assembling the context again.
Best for: learners who have looked up words but still cannot explain the sentence. It also has N5–N1 courses and spoken examples, and lets you save words for review.
Platforms and limits: web and iOS; AI plan and point rules apply. This is our own product, not an endorsement attributed to PTT users. Check AI explanations. See the analysis and AI tutor demos.
Which app should you try first?
Already collecting material: consider Anki. For ready-made graded drills, consider GraspJPN.
Looking up words while reading: consider MOJi Dictionary. Try Maho when you also need help understanding the sentence or comparing usage.
Focused on exam practice: see our MOJiTest introduction. You do not need to adopt several tools at once.
Selection scope and PTT sources
Anki appears in the linked N3 study-resource discussion. The GraspJPN introduction is a promotional post, not an independent review. Product information was checked on 7 October 2026; this is not a forum-wide survey or an equal-condition test of every app.