No single app does it all. Pair a great SRS tool, a grammar reference, a reading source, and kanji practice. Here’s a simple stack, how to pick in each category, and how to use them together without burning out.
What to cover (your app stack)
- Vocabulary recall (SRS)
- Grammar discovery and checks
- Reading/listening input at your level
- Kanji recognition and handwriting
How to evaluate apps
- Learning model: Does it teach via examples and spaced review, not only lectures?
- Speed and UX: Fast to open, minimal taps, offline capable.
- Content quality: Clear audio, accurate examples, sensible scope by level.
- Progress feedback: Tracks minutes, reviews, accuracy, not just streaks.
Category picks and why
- SRS/Flashcards: Look for phrase‑friendly cards with audio and tags. Must support quick add from real content and bury/suspend controls.
- Grammar: Explanations with multiple example sentences and quick checks.
- Reading/Listening: Graded by level with transcripts; variable speed helps.
- Kanji: Component/phonetic breakdowns, stroke‑order animations, optional handwriting.
How to combine tools (daily flow)
- SRS reviews (10–15m)
- Grammar: learn 2 points, write 3–5 examples (10–15m)
- Reading/listening (15–30m) with summaries
- Kanji (10m) with stroke order and component groups
Keep sessions short and frequent; protect consistency.
Sample app stacks by level
- N5–N4: Simple SRS + beginner grammar + graded readers + kanji stroke order.
- N3: Phrase‑friendly SRS + functional grammar + news brief readers + component‑grouped kanji.
- N2–N1: Collocation/idiom SRS + discourse grammar refs + editorial/essay input + kanji variants/look‑alikes.
2‑week plan to try your stack
- Week 1: Establish review cap (≤ 30m). Add 15–25 words/day; 8–15 kanji/day.
- Week 2: Add daily reading/listening + one weekend timed section; fix top 5 errors.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Installing 10 apps and using none—pick one per category.
- Only input or only SRS; you need both comprehension and recall.
- Ignoring kanji stroke order; a few minutes/day pays dividends.
How Kanji Koi fits the stack
- Kanji: Component/phonetic breakdowns, stroke‑order animations, handwriting practice.
- SRS: Phrase‑friendly cards with audio; adaptive spacing keeps reviews short.
- Offline: Reliable on‑the‑go sessions to maintain momentum.
Use Kanji Koi alongside your reading app: mine 3–5 compounds/collocations from passages and add them with audio and component notes. Recognition and recall both rise, and you avoid bloating your deck with low‑value items.
If kanji recognition or handwriting is slowing you down, a focused app with JLPT lists, stroke‑order guidance, and component grouping can remove friction.