Comparison
Katakana Rocks! vs Praktika
Praktika and Katakana Rocks! both help with Japanese, but they don’t set out to do the same thing. Here is what each one offers, feature by feature, according to the publishers’ public information (sources at the bottom of the page). Checked on 11 September 2026.
Katakana Rocks!
A small game that teaches you, in a few hours, to read on your own the signs, menus and borrowed words of a trip to Japan — 5 minutes whenever you like.
Praktika
Speaking with an AI tutor avatar, to build the confidence to talk.
Side by side
✓yes –partly, or only with the paid option ✗no
| Feature | Katakana Rocks! | Praktika |
|---|---|---|
| No subscription | Yes. One-time purchase | Partly. Limited free versionP1 |
| No ads | Yes. | Yes. No “Contains ads” label on Google PlayP2 |
| No account needed | Yes. | No. Free account requiredP2 |
| Speaking practice (microphone) | No. | Yes. P1 |
| Conversation with an AIneither an advantage nor a drawback | No | Yes, it is the core of the appP1 |
| Grammar through sentences | No. | Yes. In conversationP1 |
| A video gamestory, levels, mini-games | Yes. Story, 36 levels, 5 game modes | No. AI tutorP1 |
Which one is for you?
- Praktika, if your priority is speaking practice, in conversation.
- Katakana Rocks!, if you want to read kana and your first kanji by playing a game, in 5-minute sessions, with no subscription and no ads.
Sources
Consulted on 11 September 2026.
- P1 Praktika — App Store listing, website
- P2 Praktika — Google Play listing
Comparison made on 11 September 2026 by the publisher of Katakana Rocks!, from each publisher’s public information cited above. Offers change: if a cell is no longer accurate, let us know and we will correct it. Duolingo, Rosetta Stone, HelloTalk, Praktika, MARU are trademarks of their respective owners; Katakana Rocks! is not affiliated with any of them.
All the apps compared → vs Duolingo → vs Rosetta Stone → vs HelloTalk → vs MARU →
Try Katakana Rocks! for free
The first 5 levels play right in your browser, with no account and nothing to install.
▶ Play the free demoFull game: one purchase, no subscription.
