Best Websites to Learn Japanese (2026)
Japanese from Japan is this site, and JLPT Practice Test is our sister site (the same company runs both). We list both with their gaps. No link on this page is an affiliate link.
Pick by what you need next. For a step-by-step course: Duolingo and JapanesePod101. For grammar explained in English: Tofugu and JapanesePod101. For reading practice in Japanese: NHK News Web Easy, Todaii Japanese and JLPT Practice Test. For JLPT tests: Todaii Japanese and JLPT Practice Test. Japanese from Japan, this site, is a free extra rather than a course: English posts on Japanese news most days with the words in them, short lessons and tools like the romaji converter. The table shows where each one is free or paid.
Seven sites side by side
| Feature | Japanese from Japan(this site) | Tofugu | NHK News Web Easy | Todaii Japanese | Duolingo | JapanesePod101 | JLPT Practice Test(our sister site) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main content freeYou can learn from most of it without paying. | Partly Free articles with ads; Pro unlocks all lessons | Partly First 3 lessons per pathway | |||||
| Step-by-step courseLessons in a set order from beginner up. | Partly 58 numbered lessons, not a full course | Partly A step-by-step guide, not lessons | Partly Has a Lessons section; we didn't open it | Yes Pathways by level | No Practice sets, not lessons | ||
| Reading practice in JapaneseArticles or stories written in Japanese for learners. | No Our news posts are in English | No Articles are in English | Yes Easy-Japanese news from NHK | Yes Articles tagged N5 to N1 | Partly Short sentences inside lessons | Partly Read-along lesson transcripts | Yes Reading questions in the tests |
| Furigana on kanjiSmall kana over kanji so you can read words you don't know yet. | No Readings in romaji, not furigana | Not found Not mentioned | Yes Can be switched off | Not found Not mentioned | Not found Not mentioned | No Exam style | |
| Audio or listeningLessons or articles you can listen to. | Partly 5 podcast episodes (Mar to Apr 2026) | Partly Has a podcast | Yes "ニュースを聞く" on each story | Yes Offline audio on mobile is Pro | Yes Listening and speaking in lessons | Yes Audio and video lessons | Partly 12 listening sets |
| Grammar explained in EnglishGrammar points written up in English. | No Japanese only | Not checked Not checked (its course page doesn't say; the app may have tips) | Yes Grammar Bank, lesson notes | Partly In the paid grammar PDFs | |||
| JLPT-style practiceQuestions in the format of the JLPT exam. | Partly A short quiz; full tests are on JLPT Practice Test | Not found None found | Yes JLPT Test Prep section | Not found None found | Not found Not mentioned on its pricing page | ||
| iOS and Android appA native app in the App Store and Google Play. | No Website only | No Website only | Not found None found on the site | Yes Mobile features listed on its upgrade page | Yes Keiko app, iPhone, iPad and Android | ||
| A human teacherA real teacher who answers or corrects you. | Partly Premium PLUS only | No AI explanations (Keiko), not a person | |||||
| New content every weekNew lessons or articles were still coming out when we checked. | Yes A news post most days (daily since late Oct 2026) | No Latest article on the home page: Aug 17, 2023 | Yes New stories on weekdays | Yes New articles daily | No A fixed course | Yes "New Lessons Every Week" | No A fixed question bank |
Checked on each product's own pages. Click a mark to see where. Swipe sideways on a phone to see every column.
Pick them if
Pick Tofugu if
Learners who want long, careful guides in English: its free "learn Japanese" guide, kana guides and quiz, grammar articles and reviews of the best resources.
- Deeper, longer grammar and kana guides than ours, many with mnemonics
- Honest reviews of other resources (textbooks, apps, kanji programs) that help you choose
Not for: Anyone who wants fresh content: the latest article on its home page is dated August 17, 2023.
Pick NHK News Web Easy if
Learners who can read some kana and want real news written in easy Japanese, with furigana you can switch off and a recording of each story.
- Real reading practice: the news itself, written in easy Japanese by NHK
- Furigana on every kanji, and a recording of each story
Not for: Beginners who need English: the site is in Japanese only. NHK writes it for foreign residents of Japan and for children.
Pick Todaii Japanese if
Learners who want daily short articles in Japanese tagged by JLPT level (N5 to N1), with furigana, a dictionary and JLPT test prep, on the web and in its app.
- Japanese reading at your JLPT level every day, from N5 to N1
- Furigana, a built-in dictionary and audio in one place
Not for: Anyone who doesn't want ads or a paid plan: the free plan has ads, and offline audio, all lessons and more JLPT level tests are Pro.
Pick Duolingo if
People who want a daily habit: short, game-like lessons ("Learn Japanese in just 5 minutes a day. For free.") with streaks and reminders, in the app or on the web.
- A real step-by-step course with listening and speaking, in an app
- Streaks, reminders and game features that keep people practising every day
Not for: Learners who want grammar explained in depth or JLPT practice; the free plan has hearts (limited mistakes) and ads.
Pick JapanesePod101 if
Learners who study by listening: a large audio and video lesson library in pathways by level, with lesson notes, flashcards and, on Premium PLUS, 1-on-1 access to a teacher.
- Hundreds of audio and video lessons in order, by level
- Flashcards with spaced repetition and a teacher on the top plan
Not for: Anyone who wants it free: the free plan has the first 3 lessons in each pathway, a survival phrases course and vocabulary lists.
Pick JLPT Practice Test if (our sister site)
Learners preparing for the JLPT: 117 free practice sets for N5 to N1 (85 dated past-exam text sets, 20 N4 to N5 practice sets and 12 original listening sets) with instant feedback.
- Full JLPT practice for every level, free, with scores and feedback
- Listening sets for N5 to N2
Not for: Anyone who isn't taking the JLPT, or wants to learn Japanese from zero: it is test practice, not a course.
Pick Japanese from Japan if
Beginners who want free, short lessons, an English post about real Japanese news most days with the vocabulary in it, and quick tools: the romaji converter and kana, particle and JLPT quizzes.
- A post on real Japanese news most days, in plain English, with the words and grammar from the story
- Free tools beginners use daily: romaji converter, kana, kanji, particle and JLPT quizzes
- Everything is free with no account
Where we're weaker
- vs Tofugu: Tofugu's grammar and kana guides go much deeper than our 58 lessons
- vs NHK News Web Easy: NHK Easy is written in Japanese with audio; our news posts are in English and have no audio
- vs Todaii Japanese: Todaii gives graded reading in Japanese every day; we don't
- vs Duolingo: Duolingo is a full course in an app with listening; we're a website with lessons and tools
- vs JapanesePod101: JapanesePod101 has a big listening library and a course path; we have 5 podcast episodes and 58 lessons
- vs JLPT Practice Test: For JLPT practice it is far bigger than our short quiz
And in general:
- No full course: 58 lessons, not a path from zero to fluent
- No app and almost no listening practice (5 podcast episodes)
- No reading practice written in Japanese: our news posts are in English
- No teacher and no spaced-repetition review
Prices side by side (as of Nov 2026)
Japanese from Japan as of Nov 2026
- Everything on the site: FreeNo account; email list optional. Pages carry disclosed affiliate links.
Tofugu as of Nov 2026
NHK News Web Easy as of Nov 2026
- All articles: FreeAsks how you'll use it before you read
Todaii Japanese as of Nov 2026
- Free: US$0With ads; 3 daily reading practices, 16 JLPT level tests (per its table)
- Standard, 3 months: US$45.49
- Standard, 1 year: US$48.00
- Premium, lifetime: US$65.99
Duolingo as of Nov 2026
- Free: US$0Learning content, with ads and limited hearts
- Super: 1 week free, then a paid planNo price shown on its Super page (it shows in the app); unlimited hearts, no ads
- Super Family: Paid, up to 6 accountsNo price shown on its Super page
JapanesePod101 as of Nov 2026
- Free: US$0First 3 lessons in every pathway, 50+ lesson Survival Phrases, 7-day Premium trial
- Basic: US$4 a month (US$1.80 in its sale to Nov 27)All lessons and lesson notes; price based on a 24-month plan
- Premium: US$10 a month (US$4.50 in the sale)Adds assessments, word bank, spaced-repetition flashcards
- Premium PLUS: US$23 a month (US$10.29 in the sale)Adds 1-on-1 access to a teacher
JLPT Practice Test as of Nov 2026
- Practice tests: Free
- One level's study pack: US$9.99Vocabulary and grammar PDFs and Anki decks
- All five levels: US$29.99
- JLPT Exam Pass (Dec 2026): US$34.99 one timeAll packs plus Keiko Pro until Dec 7, 2026
FAQ
What is the best free website to learn Japanese?
There is no single best one. Most learners combine a course (Duolingo and JapanesePod101), something to read in Japanese (NHK News Web Easy and Todaii Japanese) and free tools like ours for kana and quick practice.
Can I learn Japanese with only one website?
Most learners combine two or three: one for a structured path, one for reading or listening, and a dictionary. Speaking with a person needs a tutor or a language partner.
Which site should I use for the JLPT?
Sites here with JLPT-style practice: Todaii Japanese and JLPT Practice Test. JLPT Practice Test is our sister site, run by the same company as Japanese from Japan, so we're not neutral about it: check the table and judge for yourself.
Is NHK News Web Easy good for beginners?
Once you can read kana. Beginners who need English: the site is in Japanese only. NHK writes it for foreign residents of Japan and for children.
We checked every fact on this page on each product's own site in Nov 2026. Spotted an error? Email support@sblocktechnologies.com and we'll fix it within a week.