Report updated May 24, 2026
英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング
For japanese speakers studying for English proficiency exams like TOEIC, TOEFL, and Eiken, or those interested in business English.
英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング is an established education app that is completely free. With a 4.6/5 rating from 62 reviews, it shows polarized user reception. Users particularly appreciate free access to all content, though lack of offline accessibility remains a common concern.
What is 英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング?
This is a free English listening study app for Japanese speakers, featuring synchronized dual-language subtitles and VOA news content on iOS and Android.
Users hire this app for low-friction, daily English listening practice that fits into commute times, serving the need for exam-prep content without subscription costs.
Current Momentum
v3.36 · 8mo ago
Maintenance- Updated iOS build in September 2025.
- Updated Android build in September 2025.
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
What Are The Key Features?
Japanese and English subtitles scroll in synchronization with audio playback
Curated English text and audio sourced from VOA Learning English
AI-based grading for English writing exercises within the app
How much does it cost?
- Fully free access to all news, columns, and study functions
Ad-supported model providing full content access without subscription gates, prioritizing user acquisition and volume.
Who Built It?
What other apps does StudySwitch make?
What do users think recently?
Medium confidence · 18 reviews analyzed
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a mixed sentiment. Users appreciate free access to all content, but report lack of offline accessibility.
Limited review volume (18 reviews). Sentiment analysis will deepen as more data lands.
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for 英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング?
Where is it available?
Localized markets (1)
How's The Education Market?
Market outlook for this category
Available very soon
Which niche is 英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング in?
to improve english listening skills through practice
Explore the full Language Learning Players niche
Every app in this space — 6 tracked, the niche's live rankings, and Marlvel's editorial take on the job-to-be-done.
The rivals identified
Nemeses(1)
This app competes directly by providing specialized audio-based language study tools, targeting users who require structured listening practice for academic or exam-based proficiency.
Contenders(2)
This app competes for the same audience of language learners who require precise control over playback speed and structured book-based audio content.
Differentiators
- Includes a formal book registration system that organizes long-form content better than our news-based feed
- Offers more granular playback controls that cater to academic-style study rather than casual daily listening
ABFlow competes by offering granular audio control tools that power users utilize to dissect difficult English listening passages.
Same space(4)
This app shares our target audience of beginner-to-intermediate language learners seeking structured, native-audio-based study materials.
Differentiators
- Proven weekly ranking system creates a recurring engagement loop that our current app lacks entirely
- Prioritizes a completely offline-first experience which is critical for commuters and travelers without data
This app competes for the attention of serious language learners by integrating administrative tools with educational content.
Differentiators
- Leverages a massive global brand presence to provide verified travel and academic documentation for students
- High-frequency release cadence ensures the app remains integrated with current institutional curriculum and schedules
This app targets the same demographic of self-directed language learners who value offline accessibility and gamified progress tracking.
Differentiators
- Gamified weekly ranking system drives higher user retention through competitive social pressure and progress tracking
- Full offline course access ensures consistent study habits even in environments without stable internet connectivity
While more formal, this app occupies the same high-intent English learning space, competing for the user's time and focus on language proficiency.
New entrants(1)
Nuva is a direct threat as it combines listening practice with AI-powered conversation, offering a more interactive alternative to our app.
Differentiators
- AI-powered conversation practice creates a dynamic, personalized learning environment that replaces static audio content
Compare 英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング against every rival
All rivals in one side-by-side table — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel — plus a head-to-head page for each.
The outtake for 英会話や英単語を聞き流し - 英語リスニング
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Public-domain VOA content library reduces ongoing content licensing costs
- AI-based writing assessment provides a differentiator against pure-listening rivals
Critical Frictions
- Zero rating count on Android platform indicates poor discovery or technical friction
- Lack of offline-first mode limits utility for primary commuter demographic
Growth Levers
- Gamified progress tracking could increase daily active usage
- Offline-first mode would capture the commuter segment currently lost to competitors
Market Threats
- AI-driven conversation apps like Nuva are shifting user expectations toward active interaction
- Open-source playback players like ABFlow offer superior noise-filtering for power users
What are the next best moves?
Ship offline-first content caching because user reviews flag connectivity as a top friction point → increase daily active usage
User complaints highlight that the current reliance on streaming limits the app's utility for commuters.
Trade-off: Push the AI writing assessment update to Q4 — offline stability is a higher-frequency churn driver.
Audit Android store presence because the zero-rating count suggests a discovery or technical bug → recover lost market share
The platform rating disparity (4.61 on iOS vs 0 on Android) indicates a potential failure in the Android funnel.
Trade-off: Pause the UI refresh on the iOS dashboard — Android parity is a higher-priority growth lever.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's reliance on free, ad-supported VOA content is a hidden moat: it allows the app to scale without the content-acquisition costs that force competitors to implement restrictive subscription gates.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Offline-first course access (available in Learn Persian/Hindi but missing here)
- Gamified weekly ranking system (available in Learn Persian/Hindi but missing here)
- Advanced noise filtering (available in ABFlow but missing here)
Key Takeaways
The app provides high-value, free content for exam preparation, but the lack of offline support and gamified retention loops leaves it exposed to AI-driven rivals, so the PM should prioritize offline caching to secure the commuter segment.
Where Is It Heading?
Mixed Signals
The language-learning market is shifting toward active, AI-assisted interaction, which puts static listening apps at a disadvantage. Unless this app introduces gamified retention loops or offline functionality, it will likely lose its casual user base to more interactive, offline-capable competitors.
The lack of Android ratings suggests a broken acquisition funnel, which limits the app's total addressable market compared to iOS-only growth.
The recent September 2025 update cadence shows active maintenance, which prevents the app from falling into total obsolescence against newer AI-driven rivals.