If you’re here…
It’s because you’ve diddled around with the usual apps… and want something a bit more effective. Like these two well known programs.
JapanesePod101 vs Pimsleur Japanese, which should you choose?Here’s the quick recap.
| JapanesePod101 | Better all-around system: more tools, shorter lessons, stronger grammar/reading support, more variety, and cheaper overall. |
| Pimsleur | As good as JapanesePod101 for listening/speaking. However lessons are 30+ min. Hands-free learning. More expensive and limited lesson + tool availability. |
JapanesePod101 and Pimsleur are somewhat similar on the surface level… so you may be unsure which to pick.
However, the devil is in the details and differences as to which one is better.
There are differences in features, pricing, lesson presentation and lesson length which you should rely on to make your choice.
Similarities
Let’s look at JapanesePod101 vs Pimsleur Japanese side by side…
| Feature | JapanesePod101 | Pimsleur |
|---|---|---|
| Audio-based learning | Yes (and not only audio) | Yes |
| Focus on speaking | Yes (speaking tools included) | Yes (if you open your mouth) |
| Learn through conversations | Yes | Kind of |
| Native speaker audio | Yes | Yes |
| Beginner-friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Short daily lessons | Yes, 3–15 mins | Well, short is 30 minutes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Can study while walking/driving | Yes | Yes |
Doesn’t really say much, right?
Both seem fine enough… that is, if you can sit for 30 minutes and listen to one lesson.
But as mentioned, the devil is in the details so let’s take a look at the differences.
Differences
JapanesePod101 Has Better Lessons
Although both learning programs offer audio lessons… JapanesePod101 also mixes in video lessons as well. Delivery by itself doesn’t mean much though (at least for me.)
What does matter is how the actual lessons play out. Are they enjoyable? Are they tolerable?
Or will you be wanting to rip your nose hairs out just to keep yourself awake?
My verdict: JapanesePod101 lessons are better.
Why? Easier consume and the conversations and their native speaking hosts (and bilingual co-hosts) are much more pleasant to listen to. At 3-15 minutes, you can finish quite quickly. Pimsleur’s lessons are 30+ minutes where you’re listening to one guy (non-natve) tell you what words you’re going to hear, and then you hear the Japanese voices. He’ll give you some exercises too but it’s mostly one guy talking at you. A bit hard to endure.
You don’t have to take my word for it alone and can preview some free lessons here so you can see for yourself (see below).
JapanesePod101 Sample Lessons
- “Absolute Beginner #1 – Say Hello” (8 minutes long)
- 3-Minute Japanese #1 – Self Introduction (3 minutes long)
Pimsleur Sample Lessons
- Lesson 2 (30 minutes)
So, this covers the core teaching approach.
Lesson-wise, JapanesePod101 is easier to consume and teaches faster. Just a personal preference but 30 minutes is a bit much just to sit and listen to. Unless you’re on a long drive.
Let’s get into what you get between the two..
What You Get
Between the two…
JapanesePod101 seems to have more variety.
| Feature | JapanesePod101 | Pimsleur |
|---|---|---|
| Lessons | Audio/video lessons (over 600 hours) | Audio lessons |
| Lesson Transcripts | ✓ | ✓ |
| Grammar explanations | Strong | Light |
| Quizzes/games | ✓ | ✓ |
| Kanji/reading | Stronger | Basic |
| Writing practice | ✓ | X |
| Flashcards | ✓ | ✓ |
| Teacher access | ✓ (Premium PLUS) | X |
| Line-by-line audio | ✓ | Limited |
| Pronunciation tools | ✓ | ✓ |
| Offline learning | ✓ | ✓ |
| New lessons & freebies (weekly) | ✓ | X |
JapanesePod101 definitely wins out in terms of more variety and more things that you get…
To read more about JapanesePod101, you can check out my JapanesePod101 review here (click the link).
I like the fact that on top of their existing program, they also send special freebies like PDF workbooks and cheat sheets. You generally won’t see this from other services.
They also run 25 Day Challenges for learners that want a bit of a motivational kick…
However, as the lessons are where the learning and teaching happens…
I’d say the features are the cherry on top.
Ultimately, you should decide which teaching style you like better — that’s the better determinant of “which of these programs is better for you.”
Free Trial
Both programs offer a free 7-day trial… as should any program in this day and age.
But there’s a key difference.
Pimsleur requires you to enter your credit card info to start the trial and will autocharge you if you don’t cancel.
JapanesePod101 does not require a card. So you can try their Premium plan without any charges after the 7 days are up.
Pricing
Finally, let’s look at the pricing…
JapanesePod101
JapanesePod101 has a free option and goes from $4 for Basic up to $23 for Premium PLUS. However, they also have occasional sales which you may find on their pricing page (where I got the image from.)
Basic, Premium and Premium PLUS all have their differences but all 3 plans give you access to ALL of the lessons and lesson notes from beginner to advanced.
- you can learn more about JapanesePod101 Basic vs Premium vs Premium PLUS <- via this link
Pimsleur
Pimsleur offers two ways to pay…
You can buy individual levels outright at $150 per level (30 lessons).
Or you subscribe monthly at about $20/month.
Or. you can get the complete program at about $574 (non-sale price)
Between the two…
JapanesePod101’s way more affordable if looking at price alone.
Refunds
JapanesePod101 offers a 60-day money-back guarantee with a straightforward refund process. You just email them.
Pimsleur offers 30 days, but with some catches.
It doesn’t apply if you signed up via the free trial, doesn’t cover purchases made through the App Store or Google Play, and requires you to submit a signed sworn declaration form with a 4–6 week wait for the refund. In practice, most Pimsleur users won’t qualify at all since the free trial is the default signup path. JapanesePod101 wins here on simplicity alone.
Final Verdict
Price aside…
If we’re just talking about “will this thing teach me Japanese…?”
The answer yes regardless of which program you choose.
Both are similar in their teaching that you won’t go wrong with either one.
Listen to the lessons above and see which you like more.
I do think JapanesePod101 edges out Pimsleur in overall teaching but the Pimsleur system’s a bit easier to use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for complete beginners? I think JapanesePod101 takes the cake and introduces Japanese in a friendlier manner. At the very least, a 5 minute lesson is much easier to consume and master than a 30 minute lecture.
Which is better for speaking Japanese? Both are very similar in that they teach via audio and dialogues. Both have similar tools for speaking practice. Both are equal here.
Which is better for listening practice? I’d say both help with listening and understanding Japanese since both are audio-based. You wouldn’t go wrong with either one. The one plus to JapanesePod101 is that it has wayyy more conversations/dialogues across many topics and by many voices. For listening, exposure to a large variety of conversations is key and as such, so my personal preference is JapanesePod101. But you’d be fine with either.
Which has more learning tools? JapanesePod101 by far. They have line-by-line breakdowns, pronunciation review and practice, word bank, vocab lists, transcript, lesson notes, pathways for different areas of the language (reading, writing, culture, etc.)… and also send out regular PDF freebies.
Which works better while driving or walking? Both are equal here since both are audio-based. Pimsleur has no video involved so it’s better for hands-free learning.
Which is more structured? JapanesePod101 for sure, In the past, they lacked it… but these days, you get laid-out lesson pathways from Absolute Beginner to Advanced (N5 to N2). Pimsleur’s also structured but you can’t really go far at “30 lessons per level.”