Bunpo review: price, free version and privacy

Our verdict

Bunpo is a good fit for Japanese learners who want grammar mapped to the JLPT levels. Learners of French or Spanish beyond the basics, or anyone avoiding tracking, should look elsewhere.

What Bunpo is

Bunpo teaches grammar, vocabulary and speaking in more than 10 languages, with Japanese as its most detailed course. The listing promises Japanese grammar for every JLPT level from N5 to N1 with plain-English explanations, over 1,800 example sentences, over 8,000 quizzes, a searchable grammar dictionary and spaced repetition reviews. A recent update added speaking courses, video call lessons and audio role-play.

Who it suits

• Japanese grammar
• JLPT study by level
• Learners who want explanations before drills

Strengths

• Japanese grammar organized by JLPT level, from N5 to N1.
• Plain-English explanations plus thousands of quizzes and example sentences.
• Spaced repetition reviews and a grammar dictionary you can search.
• A lifetime option for Bunpo Plus, rated 4.9 from about 18,200 ratings.

Limits

• The privacy label declares purchases, identifiers, usage data and other data as used to track you.
• Courses vary in depth: the listing says French covers A1 to A2 and Spanish A1 to B1, against N5 to N1 for Japanese.
• It is not a kanji writing tool.
• The description does not explain what the Platinum tier adds over Plus.

What the free version does

Bunpo is free to download with Plus and Platinum subscriptions, but the listing does not say which lessons are free.

Price

On the US App Store in November 2026, Bunpo Plus is listed at $9.99 monthly, $29.99 or $39.99 yearly, and $39.99 or $44.99 for lifetime. Bunpo Platinum is listed at $19.99 monthly and $79.99 or $99.99 yearly.

Privacy

The privacy label says purchases, identifiers, usage data and other data may be used to track you. Contact info, user content and diagnostics are also linked to your identity.

What the screenshots show

The screenshots show a sentence card written in kana with audio and a "Show translation" button, and a listening exercise where you pick the picture that matches what the speaker said.