LingoDeer vs KanaMastery: a structured beginner course, or practice from kana to N1
Facts about LingoDeer checked on its own pages in October 2026. Written by KanaMastery: we say where LingoDeer is the better choice.
LingoDeer is the better pick for a structured beginner course in an app: lessons written by teachers, grammar tips, native-speaker audio for every sentence, and offline downloads, from the alphabet to B1. KanaMastery is the better pick for going past B1 toward the JLPT: word and kanji lists from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition and drills.
LingoDeer explains; KanaMastery drills and reviews.
LingoDeer and KanaMastery, side by side
| LingoDeer | KanaMastery | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | On its site: USD 14.99 a month, USD 39.99 a quarter, USD 95.99 a year, or one-off payments of USD 189.99 for 3 years and USD 239.99 for 6 years | €5.99 a month, €44.99 a year or €149 once (KanaMember), after a 14-day trial with no card; a full refund within 30 days of the first payment |
| Free plan | The alphabet, the first unit, test-outs for every unit and the travel phrasebook | Free for good: all kana and the whole Kana program, every Japan quiz, the first chapter of every program and the first chapters of JLPT N5, 20 reviews a day, the daily challenge and leagues |
| Where it runs | iOS, Android and the web, synced; the whole course can be downloaded for offline use (Premium) | A website, on any device with a browser; no app to install (and none yet in the app stores) |
| Hiragana and katakana | Taught, reading and writing | All 208 kana with sound and stroke order pages, and a free program that teaches them |
| Kanji | Introduced in lessons, with character drills and handwriting exercises | 2,217 kanji by JLPT level, each with readings, stroke order and words; practised for reading and meaning, not handwriting |
| Vocabulary | Taught through the lessons, with spaced-repetition review in Premium | 7,579 JLPT words with readings and meanings from JMdict, plus phrases, numbers and counters |
| Grammar | Grammar tips in every lesson | Drills, not lessons: N5 particles and verb forms, sentences and N4 keigo; no grammar explanations beyond short notes |
| Levels covered | CEFR A1 to B1; no JLPT alignment stated | Kana, then JLPT N5 to N1 |
| How it schedules practice | Lessons, then reviews; spaced repetition is a Premium feature | Spaced repetition (FSRS) for every answer: reading, recall and listening scheduled separately, up to 100 reviews a day |
| Audio | Native speakers for every word and sentence, by its own statement | Text-to-speech for words and kana |
| Motivation | Not stated on its pages | XP and levels, combos, streaks with freezes, a daily challenge and weekly leagues |
LingoDeer's prices are as its own pages showed them in October 2026 (US prices unless noted); ours are in euros. Prices change: check before you buy.
Where LingoDeer is better
- Native-speaker audio for every word and sentence, where KanaMastery uses text-to-speech.
- Grammar explanations in every lesson, in a course designed by teachers.
- Offline: the whole course downloads to your phone.
Where KanaMastery is better
- Beyond B1: JLPT word and kanji lists for every level up to N1.
- Price: €5.99 a month or €44.99 a year against USD 14.99 a month or USD 95.99 a year, with a free plan that never ends.
- Spaced repetition on every answer for free users too (20 reviews a day), plus a daily challenge and leagues.
Using both
LingoDeer for your first lessons and grammar, KanaMastery from the start for kana and review, and on its own when you pass B1 and aim at N3 and beyond.
Questions about LingoDeer and KanaMastery
How much is LingoDeer?
On its site, USD 14.99 a month, USD 95.99 a year, or USD 189.99 for 3 years (checked October 2026); app store prices differ.
How far does LingoDeer Japanese go?
From the alphabet to B1 on the CEFR scale, by its own Japanese page.
Is KanaMastery a LingoDeer alternative?
For practice and the JLPT lists up to N1, yes. For a beginner course with grammar explanations and native audio, LingoDeer teaches what KanaMastery doesn't.
Sources
- LingoDeer: Japanese
- LingoDeer: pricing
- LingoDeer help: is LingoDeer free?
- LingoDeer help: what membership includes
- LingoDeer on the US App Store
- KanaMastery: pricing, how it works and attributions.
LingoDeer is a trademark of its owner. This page isn't endorsed by or connected to LingoDeer. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.