MaruMori vs KanaMastery: an all-in-one course, or a practice gym
Facts about MaruMori checked on its own pages in October 2026. Written by KanaMastery: we say where MaruMori is the better choice.
MaruMori is the better pick if you want one course that teaches grammar, kanji, vocabulary and reading together, with human-written lessons through N2. KanaMastery is the better pick if you want practice rather than lessons: drills and spaced repetition from kana to N1, a daily challenge and leagues, at a lower price.
By its own roadmap, MaruMori's N1 lessons haven't started yet; KanaMastery's N1 programs cover words and kanji, not grammar.
MaruMori and KanaMastery, side by side
| MaruMori | KanaMastery | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | USD 8.99 a month, USD 83.88 a year or USD 349.99 for lifetime, after a 14-day trial | €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 | A 14-day trial on every plan; what stays free afterwards isn't stated on its pages | 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 | The web, iOS and Android (its apps are in early access, per its roadmap) | A website, on any device with a browser; no app to install (and none yet in the app stores) |
| Hiragana and katakana | Taught, with a kana trainer | All 208 kana with sound and stroke order pages, and a free program that teaches them |
| Kanji | The essential 2,000 kanji with mnemonics, and any of 6,000+ to study; writing practice is still in progress on its roadmap | 2,217 kanji by JLPT level, each with readings, stroke order and words; practised for reading and meaning, not handwriting |
| Vocabulary | 8,000 words in the course and a dictionary of 180,000+ entries | 7,579 JLPT words with readings and meanings from JMdict, plus phrases, numbers and counters |
| Grammar | Human-written lessons with their own spaced repetition, from N5 through N2 (N2 completed in August 2026) | Drills, not lessons: N5 particles and verb forms, sentences and N4 keigo; no grammar explanations beyond short notes |
| Levels covered | Pre-N5 to N2 so far; N1 lessons are a future item on its roadmap | Kana, then JLPT N5 to N1 |
| How it schedules practice | Spaced repetition for kanji, vocabulary and grammar | Spaced repetition (FSRS) for every answer: reading, recall and listening scheduled separately, up to 100 reviews a day |
| Audio | Audio for its reading exercises; whether voices are recorded isn't stated | Text-to-speech for words and kana |
| Motivation | Islands to unlock, achievements, badges, titles, minigames and quests | XP and levels, combos, streaks with freezes, a daily challenge and weekly leagues |
MaruMori'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 MaruMori is better
- Lessons: human-written grammar lessons, reading exercises and kanji in one path, where KanaMastery has no grammar course.
- Grammar with its own spaced repetition, through N2.
- No AI in its content creation, by its own statement.
Where KanaMastery is better
- Price: €5.99 a month or €44.99 a year, against USD 8.99 a month or USD 83.88 a year, and a free plan that never ends.
- Words and kanji for N1 today, in programs from kana to N1.
- Practice formats: listening and dictation drills, timed sprints, counters and numbers, and a daily challenge the same for everyone on your level.
Using both
MaruMori for lessons and grammar, KanaMastery for extra practice and review: both follow the JLPT levels, so they line up.
Questions about MaruMori and KanaMastery
How much is MaruMori?
USD 8.99 a month, USD 83.88 a year (USD 6.99 a month) or USD 349.99 for lifetime, each after a 14-day trial (checked October 2026).
Does MaruMori cover N1?
Not yet: its roadmap lists the start of N1 content as a future item, after N2 was completed in August 2026.
Is KanaMastery a MaruMori alternative?
For practice and review from kana to N1, at a lower price, yes. For grammar lessons, MaruMori teaches what KanaMastery doesn't.
Sources
- MaruMori: home page, plans and roadmap
- MaruMori: changelog
- MaruMori on the US App Store
- MaruMori on Google Play
- KanaMastery: pricing, how it works and attributions.
MaruMori is a trademark of its owner. This page isn't endorsed by or connected to MaruMori. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.