ContextCat vs Migaku: reading app or immersion toolkit?
Migaku is an immersion toolkit for video, reading and flashcards, strongest in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. ContextCat is an iPhone reader for 39 languages. Compared.
The short answer: Migaku is a full immersion toolkit: a browser extension that works on Netflix, YouTube and web pages, mobile apps, and its own flashcard system for mining sentences, with the most depth in Japanese, Chinese and Korean. ContextCat is a focused iPhone reader for 39 languages: tap any word in news, books or your PDFs and see what it means in that sentence, in your own language. Video and sentence mining: Migaku. Reading on your phone, in more languages, with less setup: ContextCat.
ContextCat is our app. Facts about Migaku come from its website and App Store listing, checked on October 27, 2026. Migaku’s prices change with frequent sales, so check its pricing page.
At a glance
| Migaku | ContextCat | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Browser extension, iPhone, Android, web | iPhone |
| Languages | 11 | 39 |
| Strongest at | Video with subtitles, Japanese, Chinese and Korean | Reading news, books and documents |
| Help on a word | Dictionary lookups and tools for mining sentences into cards | The meaning in this sentence, explained in your language |
| Review | Its own spaced-repetition flashcards | Spaced repetition, each card with its sentence |
| Price | Paid subscription after a trial, with a lifetime option; see Migaku’s pricing page | Free plan; Pro $7.99/month or $49.99/year (US App Store) |
Where Migaku is the better choice
- You learn from shows and videos. Migaku works on Netflix and YouTube subtitles, which ContextCat does not touch.
- You study Japanese, Chinese or Korean seriously. Migaku’s tools for those languages are deep and its community is active.
- You want to build your own cards. Mining sentences into flashcards is central to Migaku.
Where ContextCat is the better choice
- Your language is not on Migaku’s list. ContextCat covers 39 languages, from Turkish and Polish to Swedish and Thai.
- You want help in your own language. Every explanation is written in the language you choose, not only in English.
- You read documents. Import a PDF, a link or text, ask questions about it and listen to it read aloud.
- You want little setup. Open the app, open something to read, tap. Cards are made for you from the words you tap.
Questions
Which languages does Migaku support?
- Migaku's site lists 11: Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, Korean, Spanish, English, German, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Italian and French (checked October 27, 2026). ContextCat reads and explains in 39 languages.
Is Migaku better for Japanese?
- For immersion through anime, dramas and YouTube, very likely: Migaku was built for it, and its tools for Japanese are deep. For reading Japanese news and your own texts on an iPhone, with word explanations in your own language, ContextCat is simpler.