Learn Japanese with AI: The Best AI Japanese Learning Apps, Tested & Reviewed

By Alex Redfern | Fact checked by Samuel Pérez Last updated: 20 Feb 2025

Ever wished you could practice speaking Japanese whenever you want, without the pressure of real conversations? Thanks to recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, you can now have natural conversations with AI that adapt to your level and provide instant feedback.

I've tested almost every app on the market. While most fall short, a few stand out as genuinely effective tools for learning Japanese with AI. In this guide, I'll walk you through the best AI Japanese conversation practice apps, breaking down their features and helping you choose the right one for your needs.

The Best AI Japanese Learning Apps

#1: Langua

Ideal for: Dedicated Japanese learners

Langua stands out as the top choice thanks to its comprehensive approach to Japanese learning, combining natural conversation practice with effective vocabulary building tools.

Strengths:

Choose from a huge range of carefully designed - practical roleplays, debates, discussions around your interests, etc.
Uses the most advanced voice technology. Whilst many other apps sound robotic, on Langua it feels like you're talking to a Japanese native-speaker. This is because the voices are actually clones of real people!
Multiple ways to get feedback - view corrections below your messages, turn on a setting to get the AI to ask you to repeat corrections when you make mistakes, or view an in-depth feedback report.
There's are Furigana and Romaji display options to help with reading Japanese characters.
Thoughtfully designed mobile apps are available: iOS (Apple) | Android (Google Play)
Offers vocabulary building through spaced repetition and AI-generated stories.
You can switch to your native language when needed and still be understood. This is extremely helpful when you're stuck for a word. Complete beginners will also hear each sentence translated to English immediately after it is spoken.

Weaknesses:

Limited gamification. Whilst you can see your daily streak and points on a leaderboard, there is a relative lack of gamification compared to Duolingo, making it less addictive. This means you need to be motivated.
The transcription technology will occasionally not understand what you've said. However, the transcription tech used on Langua is still the best available right now.

Pricing: Subscription plans ranging from $13 to $29/month, with the more expensive plan offering unlimited, 24/7 access to speak Japanese with AI.

You can create a free account on Langua and explore it here.

#2: Langotalk

Ideal for: learners who appreciate good visual design and gamification

Langotalk's team chose a name extremely similar to ours (LanguaTalk). This has created confusion amongst learners. But to be fair to them, their app is, in our opinion, the 2nd best option on the market if you're looking for an AI Japanese tutor app.

Strengths:

The visual design is great (colours, images, spacing, buttons etc.)
The voice transcription (for understanding what you're saying) is as good as any I've tried.
There are masses of features and conversation options (however, this was overwhelming - see below)

Weaknesses:

The AI characters sound robotic compared to Langua's.
The app feels disorganised, with an overwhelming number of options and features.
The AI characters are animated drawings. Combined with the robotic voices, the app does not give you the feeling that you're talking to a human.
All feedback is written rather than the AI giving you corrections verbally.
No monthly subscription - minimum is 3 months, which for me was around $50.
Mixed reviews on the Google Play Store (4.3 rating). Common complaints are that it is buggy and somehow difficult to cancel the subscription.

Pricing: Varies by country but seems to start at around $50 USD for 3 months (no monthly subscription was visible when I signed up).

#3: TalkPal

Ideal for: Learners with a small budget who are willing to compromise

TalkPal provides basic AI Japanese conversation practice at a lower price point, though with some compromises in terms of the quality of the AI models used, and features.

Strengths:

Offers a basic plan with limited access to features and a 10-minute time limit, allowing users to try the app before committing to a subscription.
Provides many conversation options - roleplays, topic-based conversations, and image description exercises (all only available in the paid version).
Affordable pricing structure.

Weaknesses:

Significantly less natural-sounding AI voices with limited voice options
Does not adapt intelligently to your level. For example as a beginner I was asked a complex philosophical question rather than focusing on simple everyday language.
Pronunciation testing is a good idea but in practice the feedback is not accurate.
Lacks comprehensive features like vocabulary tracking.
Mixed reviews on the Google Play store, with a rating of 4.2 out of 5 at the time of writing. Typical criticisms are that corrections are confusing, there are lots of bugs, and you can't review the chat transcript later on.

Pricing: $11.99/month for the paid version (slightly cheaper with an annual purchase). No free trial available, but a basic plan with limited features and a 10-minute time limit is offered.

Is learning Japanese with AI the right option for you?

While AI models are advancing rapidly, it's important to understand their limitations. Even the best AI Japanese learning apps can't fully replace human interaction.

AI tools may sometimes struggle with the nuances of Japanese language and cultural context. In addition, at times you may find the AI-generated replies feel somewhat unnatural and lacking in spontaneity. This is because they follow patterns, leading to some repetitive behaviours.

They also can't offer the support and accountability, or deep knowledge of your personality, goals and weaknesses that a human tutor may provide.

For optimal results, consider using AI Japanese conversation practice as part of a broader learning strategy. Combine it with other resources like language exchanges or tutoring sessions for a well-rounded approach to mastering Japanese.

If you're committed to learning Japanese and interested in personalized instruction, explore our Japanese tutors here. If you prefer self-study, try learning Japanese with AI on Langua and see if it matches your learning style.

Curious about learning other languages with AI? See more:

About the author:

Alex Redfern is the CEO of the language learning startup, LanguaTalk. Holding a BSc in Business Administration from the University of Bath, he is passionate about entrepreneurship and language learning. Whilst travelling across the globe has has learnt four languages to varying levels. His research on language learning has enabled him to help thousands of people build fluency via LanguaTalk. He has published articles in popular magazines; his article on rapid language acquisition went viral on Medium.